Zucchini Fritter Gyros

I found this recipe on Vegetarian Times Website.  It is Delicious! I really didn't make any changes to the recipe except for the pepper.  I didn't have green chile peppers so I used a ripe jalapeno instead.  It added a nice kick to the fritters, which we really liked.  I served this with vegetarian fajita quinoa with black beans and corn.

Zucchini Fritter Gyros (adapted from the Vegetarian Times Website)

click here for a printer friendly recipe
Serves 6

1 cup plain low-fat yogurt

2 tsp. grated lemon zest

1 lb. zucchini, coarsely grated

1 large egg

1 ripe jalapeño

1 green onion, chopped (2 Tbs.)

1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ tsp. baking powder

2 Tbs. olive oil

¾ cup homemade hummus

2 pita breads, halved and warmed

a mix of garden fresh tomatoes to which you have added some fresh, chopped mint and basil

1 red onion, thinly sliced, dressed with a tablespoon of seasoned rice wine vinegar

2 cups chopped sorrel

1.      Stir together yogurt and lemon zest in small bowl. Set aside.

2.      Wrap grated zucchini in clean kitchen towel, and wring out excess moisture.

3.      Whisk egg in large bowl. Stir in zucchini, green chilies, green onion, and garlic. Sprinkle mixture with flour and baking powder, and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

4.      Heat 1 Tbs. oil in large skillet over medium heat. Drop 6 heaping tablespoons zucchini mixture into skillet, and gently flatten. Cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Transfer to paper-towel-lined plate, and repeat with remaining zucchini mixture.

5.      Spread 2 Tbs. hummus inside each pita half. Fill with 2 tomato slices, 2 zucchini cakes, red onion slices, and ⅓ cup chopped sorrel. Drizzle each gyro with 2 Tbs. yogurt mixture.

Note:  I also added chopped Kalamata olives.  I added chopped mint and basil to the tomatoes and seasoned rice wine vinegar to the red onion.  I used fresh garden sorrel for the lettuce and my recipe for hummus.  You can find that HERE at my recipe links.

Chopped Olives, Earthy Hummus and a blend of Garden Heirloom Tomatoes dressed with Basil and Mint.

Fresh from the garden Sorrel, Lemony Yogurt and Red Onion with Seasoned Rice Wine Vinegar.

Summer Squash Patties with Ancho Chili Yogurt Sauce and Cilantro Flower Garnish

 

Summer squash is often overcooked into a flavorless mash, which is sad because these squash have a delicate, delicious flavor if prepared properly.  For this recipe, I used zucchini, crookneck and scallop squash prepared with the flavors of the Southwest. 

If you are not growing your own, Farmers Markets have these beauties available from June through early September in most areas.  Pick out small squash to get the best flavor. Avoid any patty pan over 4 inches wide; the best size for crookneck and zucchini is less than 6 inches.   The seeds begin to develop if much larger than that.

Be sure to stop over to the Dandelion House  and visit with Deborah Jean's garden and blog hop party!

Summer Squash Patties with Ancho Chili Yogurt Sauce, and Cilantro Flower Garnish

Makes 10 Patties
PRINTABLE RECIPE 

2 cups packed, grated, drained, Summer Squash (9 ounces)
1 cup unseasoned Bread Crumbs
1 Egg beaten
1 tablespoon (¼ ounce) dried Ancho Chili, chopped (first soaked in 1 cup boiling water for 10 minutes then chopped)

¼ cup Green Onion with tops (¾ ounce)
½ teaspoon ground Coriander
1 teaspoon dried Mexican Oregano

1 tablespoon Butter, softened

Spring lettuces (optional)

Garnish: Cilantro leaves and flowers (optional)

For Frying: ¼ cup Canola Oil, you should have around 2 tablespoons left in the skillet after frying.

Place grated squash in a colander and press down with a plate that has a weight on top to drain out the juice ̶ I used a quart jar filled with water for the weight. Allow at least 15 minutes and up to 30 to drain.

Beat the egg, measure or weigh out the drained summer squash and add the remaining ingredients, mixing just until blended.  Shape into 10 patties. 

Heat skillet over medium high heat, then add the oil.  Fry the patties, 5 at a time until golden brown on each side. This takes about 3 minutes per side.  Don’t move them for the first minute or two so they won’t stick to the pan when you go to turn them.  This works every time, perfectly, if you are patient. (I use a stainless steel pan, if using a non-stick pan you can probably get away with less oil.) Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.

Serve warm, atop a bed of spring lettuces topped with Ancho Chili Yogurt Sauce and Cilantro leaves and flowers.

Ancho Chili Yogurt Sauce

Makes ¾ cup sauce

½ cup Plain Non-Fat Yogurt
¼ tsp. Sea Salt
¼ cup Ancho Chili Sauce (recipe below)

Combine all ingredients stirring well, cover and refrigerate while making the squash patties.

Ancho Chili Sauce

Recipe makes a little over 3 cups.

4 to 6 Ancho Chili pods dried (if large use 4)

3 cups Boiling Water

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

2 cloves Garlic, minced

1 tablespoon ground Cumin

½ cup chopped, Brown Onion

½ teaspoon Sea Salt
1 cup Tomato Sauce (Mexican Sauce is fine)

Remove the stem end and seeds from the Ancho Chili pods.  Soak pods in 3 cups of boiling water until softened, about 15 to 30 minutes.  Pour into a blender container and add the remaining ingredients.  Blend until smooth. Pour mixture into a skillet, add tomato sauce and simmer over low heat for 20 to 30 minutes. 

 

This sauce is also very good for enchiladas. It is a dark, rich flavored sauce.

The nutritional information is for 3 patties with 2 servings of sauce and does not include the spring greens.

Nutritional Information Provided by NutriMirror