Zucchini Hotcakes with a Julie Cave Twist

I got caught telling a lie this week. It happened as I was doing a bit of research about zucchini and came across these words: “Technically, zucchini is a fruit, not a vegetable.” All my life I've been telling others it was a veggie! Please tell me I am not alone in perpetuating this lie.

My only solace is that my local grocery store is just as guilty—it displays zucchini right along side broccoli and other veggies.

Even my two zucchini cookbooks fail to mention this squash is a fruit. Both were published in the 70's so that might explain the omission. But I choose to overlook this flaw as these resources have supplied me with a variety of recipes over the years: zucchini bars, zucchini bread, zucchini cake, zucchini relish, zucchini boats, and my all time favorite--zucchini hotcakes.

I whipped up a batch of hotcakes last week as they are quick and easy to make. The recipe has been altered a bit as I substitute garlic salt with parsley for oregano and use wheat flour, but it is still yummy.

Knowing this is the season when zucchini is in abundance and gardener's like to share their produce with neighbors it seemed the perfect time to share my recipe. 

Easy Zucchini Hotcakes

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ cups of grated, unpeeled zucchini. Once grated place zucchini in a towel and squeeze tightly to remove liquid.

2 tablespoons onion, grated or chopped fine

¼ cup Parmesan cheese (Any kind of grated cheese will work.)

¼ cup of flour (I use wheat flour)

2 eggs, slightly beaten

2 tablespoons of mayonnaise

¼ teaspoon of oregano (I prefer garlic salt/parsley mix instead of oregano)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 pint of sour cream (for topping)

Olive Oil or butter to use in iron skillet

Directions: Mix all the ingredients together except for the sour cream. Add olive oil to iron skillet and let it get hot. Add large heaping tablespoons of batter into hot skillet. Allow space between hotcakes. Flatten hotcakes with spatula a little to help them cook evenly. Cook over medium heat until brown or you see tiny bubbles turn up in batter. Flip hotcakes over and cook until brown.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream. Makes about 7-9 hotcakes, depending on size you create. These go well with pork chops or a simple toss salad.

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Too hot to cook over a stove tonight? Then consider what I do when summer temps are sizzling: make these hotcakes in the morning! Once they have cooled off put them in the fridge to warm up in a toaster oven later, or divide up the batch, putting 2 or 3 hotcakes in a container or baggie, and store them in the freezer for another day. 

One final confession: In all honesty, I've a chocolate-zucchini cake recipe that just might be better than these hotcakes. If you want a copy, simply subscribe in the box up top and I'll send it your way. 

Until next time . . . enjoy your veggies/fruit.

Julie