Sunday, September 7, 2014

#SundaySupper Squash Fest...Featuring Zucchini-Corn Pancakes

This week, #SundaySupper is having a Squash Fest! Our hostesses are Alice from A Mama, Baby & Shar-Pei In the Kitchen and Christy from Confessions of a Culinary Diva. They challenged us to come up with recipes featuring squash. While the weather's turning cooler in many parts of the country and thoughts are turning to pumpkin and Winter squashes...we're still "enjoying" Summer-like weather here in Texas. My recipe this week features a duo of Summer veggies: zucchini and sweet corn!

My Zucchini-Corn Pancakes are savory pancakes that make a perfect light Summer lunch, a dinner side dish with grilled meats, or even a weekend brunch entree. I used a recipe that I found at Food Network's website as my jumping off point. To their basic recipe that features both flour and cornmeal, I added green onion, basil, and crumbled goat cheese. I served my pancakes with sour cream and chunky salsa for topping. My batch made 8 pancakes -- plenty for for 2-3 hungry people. For larger crowds, feel free to double the recipe. For fun appetizers, simply make the pancakes smaller. See? This veg-friendly recipe is very versatile!

Zucchini-Corn Pancakes
adapted from Food Network

Ingredients:
  • 1 medium zucchini, coarsely shredded + 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 small shallot, finely chopped
  • 3/4 cup frozen corn kernels 
  • 1 tbs. finely chopped basil
  • 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
  • 1/2 cup milk (can sub buttermilk)
  • 1 large egg
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 4 tsp. olive oil, for frying
  • Cajun seasoning
  • For topping: sour cream and salsa
Directions:
Step 1: Trim the ends off the zucchini. Using a box grater, grate the zucchini into a bowl. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. salt and toss well to combine; let the zucchini sit for 10 minutes. Wrap the zucchini in a kitchen towel and squeeze to remove the excess water. Place the dried zucchini shreds in a large bowl, along with the green onion, shallot, corn, and basil. Stir well to combine.
Step 2: Add the flour, cornmeal, baking soda, goat cheese, egg, and milk to the veggie mixture. Add salt & pepper to taste. Stir until the ingredients are evenly combined into a pancake batter. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the batter to thicken to the proper consistency.
Step 3: While the pancake batter rests, heat 1 tsp. of the olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. When the pan is well heated, cook two pancakes at a time using a 1/4-cup measure. Cook the pancakes for 3-4 minutes. Using a sturdy spatula, flip the pancakes over. Cook 3-4 minutes longer, until the pancakes are crispy and golden brown. 
Step 4: Repeat Step 3 until you have made 8 pancakes, using 1 tsp. olive oil for each pair of pancakes that you cook. As the zucchini-corn pancakes cook, sprinkle them with Cajun seasoning. Place the cooked pancakes on a warmed serving platter. Serve the pancakes with bowls of sour cream and salsa on the side for topping. 
Wowza...these savory pancakes are so delicious! The combination of cornmeal and flour gives them an almost cornbread-like flavor...and zucchini and corn are meant to be paired together. The flavors of the basil, shallot, and green onions work really nicely with the zucchini and corn. The pockets of melted goat cheese? Heaven! I loved the subtle spice that the Cajun seasoning and salsa provided. If you have any leftovers, these pancakes are great at room temperature...and they reheat well too!

Wait until you see the wide range of squash recipes the #SundaySupper crew is sharing today! We've got everything from sweet to savory...and we're featuring a wide range of squash varieties. You're sure to find something that you'll want to try out in your own kitchen.

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Sunday Supper MovementI hope that you'll join the #SundaySupper conversation on Twitter later this evening! We tweet throughout the day, and we share recipes from all over the world! Our weekly Twitter chat starts at 7:00 pm EST/6:00 pm CST. Be sure to follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in on the chat. We have a great time chatting about each week's topic. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest boardWould you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

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