I can’t believe summer is over…and school is about to begin again (we think – more on that below).  This was definitely a summer that I will remember forever, for so many reasons.  So many good memories, and of course some I would like to forget, but that is the way life is.  Fortunately I was able to do a lot of cooking in August to make up for a very busy July.  I feel nice and refreshed, and ready to tackle the real world again.  There are some important things I need to take care of, and I finally feel like I am in a position to do so.  It is amazing what a couple of weeks of clearing your head can do, and that’s exactly what I did.

So school…back to that topic.  It is actually been nice to see my daughter’s friends start emailing each other about how excited they are for school to start.  Imagine my older daughter’s disappointment when we got the phone call last week explaining why that might not happen.  Yes, Seattle Public Schools may go on strike.  Their contract expired this weekend, but as of Monday they seemed to have reached a tentative agreement – thank goodness.  They were supposed to vote tonight at 5pm, but we have not heard anything yet.  I am hoping that no news is good news…

While we are still in summer mode, I wanted to talk about zucchini – a vegetable that seems to do well in just about every garden except for ours.  I still remember when I would have so many zucchini’s from the garden, we were almost on an all zucchini diet (in fact, I have done my share of zucchini posts on this blog…check them out: zucchini bread, stuffed zucchini, garden rice casserole, even these which look very familiar to this recipe, but with a focus on dill) – now I have to rely on friends to share, or support our local farmer’s at the Saturday Market.  I saw this recipe in Bon Appetit, and had to get my hands on some zucchini to test it out.  I love potato pancakes, and thought these would give them a run for their money.  Oh boy did they – these were tender on the inside, crisp on the outside, and that dipping sauce gave the pancakes just a zing of flavor.  What a perfect way to get your kids to eat some veges, if they were where my kids were a couple of years ago.  Of course now my kids dug right in, and they loved them.

If your kids started school last week, I hope things are going well – and if you are supposed to start this week – I wish you luck.  For all of you in Seattle, let’s hope that the right decision gets made – for our teachers and our children.

Fritters

• 1 1/2 pounds zucchini (about 3 medium), grated
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more for seasoning
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil

Preparation

Soy Dipping Sauce

Mix vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, and a pinch of red pepper flakes in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved. Set aside.

Fritters

Place zucchini in a colander set in the sink and toss with 1/2 teaspoons salt. Let stand 10 minutes, then wring zucchini dry in a clean kitchen towel. Place zucchini in a large bowl and gently mix in egg, flour, chives, and cornstarch; season with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Working in 2 batches, drop 1/4-cupfuls zucchini mixture into skillet, flattening slightly; cook until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer fritters to a paper towel–lined plate; season with salt. Serve with soy dipping sauce.

DO AHEAD: Fritters can be made 30 minutes ahead. Keep warm in a 200° oven.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Zucchini Fritters