Zucchini Fritters ♥ Fresh From the Garden - Recipe ReDux Challenge July 2015

It is not easy to make a good zucchini fritter. I like them crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside, with flavor and spice and ones that leave no oil on your fingers when you pick them up to dip.

When the Recipe ReDux challenge for this month was to cook with the bounty of summer produce, I immediately thought of fritters.

Since I actually grew zucchini that got large enough for enough fritters for two, that was what I made.
One of the the hardest things to do when using a vegetable loaded with water is to not use too much binder. I prefer not to taste crackers (or any filling for that matter).

I found this recipe years ago that I think is the perfect batter for fritters. I had no original source written on the index card but it has stood the test of time.

Zucchini Fritters
makes about 10-3" fritters

* 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour or AP flour
* 1/4 cup cornmeal
* 3 tablespoons finely chopped chives or scallions
* 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/8 teaspoon pepper
* 1/2 cup buttermilk
* 2 large eggs
* 3 small zucchini or 1 large (seeds removed)
* 1/4 cup canola oil

Grate zucchini and salt. Place in strainer for 30 minutes. Squeeze in a dry, clean kitchen towel to remove all excess moisture.
In large mixing bowl, add all the ingredients except canola oil and blend well. Let sit for 15 minutes. Should be as thick as a cake batter.

Heat large skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons oil.
Using a 1/4 cup, scoop batter into skillet.
Cook 4 minutes on each side and add to a sheet pan in a 200F oven while you make the rest.

Serve with sour cream, ranch dressing, applesauce and even salsa. Recently I discovered wasabi cream and use it on everything. It goes exceptionally well with foods that tend to be on the bland side.

An InLinkz Link-up

Veal Meatballs with Tuna Aioli (Vitello Tonnato Pulpetta) ♥ Bumble Bee Seafoods "The Benefits of Seafood" #Sponsored Recipe Contest

I'm beginning to see a pattern in the two recipes I created for this Recipe ReDux and Bumble Bee Seafood's sponsored contest. Both are based on famous Italian dishes that I put my creative touches too.

Vitello Tonnato is made with leftover roasted sliced veal which lays under a flavorful aioli made with canned tuna.

Our challenge was to educate our readers about the benefits of adding more tuna to their diet.
I find that what my Mom made me growing up is foods that I still eat today and Bumble Bee Albacore Tuna in Water was the only tuna in our pantry.
I took this approach based on studies that today's kids need eye candy to entice them to eat a good-for-you food. 
What child wouldn't get a kick out of a large meatball with a sauce made from tuna in a can?

Adding a good sprinkle of grated cheese to the top and you have a sure thing.

"I received free samples from Bumble Bee Seafoods that are mentioned in this post. By posting this
recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by Bumble Bee Seafoods and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.”

There are so many reasons for eating canned tuna and if you are not a child but expecting one.
Pregnant women need to consume an average of 3-4 servings of canned albacore tuna packed in water per week to get the maximum benefit for her child's optimum IQ by age 9.
Now, I didn't know that and gladly pass this important information to you.

Bumble Bee's Solid White Albacore Tuna in Water contains the highest level of Omega 3 fats in canned tuna due to the fact that oil and water don't mix.

Say what!?!?

Say with me here....Omega 3 oils remain in the tuna if it is packed in water. The tuna packed in oil mixes with the beneficial Omega 3 oils and when you drain the can, both the oil and the beneficial Omega 3's go with it into the sink. We can't have that. Omega 3's are instrumental in keeping arteries unclogged and hearts working at peak performance. Another reason to ♥ canned tuna.
Free from Saturated Fat, canned tuna is also an excellent source of protein, Vitamins B6 and B10, Selenium and Niacin.

Good for everyone!!

Let's get cooking.....


Veal Meatball with Tuna Aioli
makes 4 (7oz) meatballs

* 1 pound ground veal
* 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
* 1/4 cup milk
* 1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
* 1 large egg, beaten
* 1 medium shallot, minced
* 1 large clove garlic,minced
* Fresh grating of nutmeg
* 2 teaspoons fresh sage, minced
* salt & pepper

Mix ingredients in a large bowl. Divide into quarters and form meatballs. Bake for 45 minutes at 375 degrees.

Tuna Aioli (Tonnato)
* 1 can Bumble Bee Albacore in Water
* 2 teaspoons anchovy paste or 4 anchovies, mashed
* 1 teaspoon capers, rinsed
* 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
* 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
* 1 teaspoon lemon zest
* 1 tablespoon honey
* 1/2 cup mayonnaise
* salt & pepper, to taste

Place all ingredients into a processor or blender. Puree until smooth.

To serve: Spoon aioli over meatball, sprinkle grated cheese and parsley over sauce and serve.
Can be eaten room temperature.

Leftover sliced meatballs make excellent sliders, spoon cold aioli over veal and pack into your favorite slider bun.



   

    An InLinkz Link-up

   

Tuscan Tuna Salad ♥ Bumble Bee Seafoods "The Benefits of Seafood" #Sponsored Recipe Contest

How do I describe this salad except to say, it is my Tuscan version of a Salad Nicoise but with a dressing you will make many times over. If you have ever heard of a Bagna Cauda, the dressing for this salad was my inspiration of a tamed down version.

While this dressing would be excellent as a marinade for grilled vegetables or spooned over roasted meats, I created it to work best when used in this Tuscan salad with Bumble Bee Prime Fillet Solid White Albacore in Water. The addition of green and white beans, potatoes, roasted red peppers and shallots makes this a main supper salad or right at home on a buffet.

I can not tell you how versatile this salad is. Add some to spaghetti for pasta night and think how great if you added Pecorino cheese and spooned it into hollowed out tomatoes? Now that's a showstopper!!
Wait, fill lettuce cups for some crispy crunch, and pack it for lunch.

Growing up, Bumble Bee tuna was the only tuna my Mom would use and there was always a tuna salad in the fridge. A degreed Health Educator, she was all about whole foods when they were simply known as health foods.

She would have loved this salad!

“I received free samples from Bumble Bee Seafoods that are mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by Bumble Bee Seafoods and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.”

There are so many reasons for eating canned tuna and if you are a new mom or a mom-to-be, you move right to the head of the class.
Pregnant women need to consume an average of 3-4 servings of canned albacore tuna packed in water per week to get the maximum benefit for her child's optimum IQ by age 9.
Now, I didn't know that and now, you do too.

Bumble Bee's Prime Fillet Solid White Albacore in Water contains the highest level of Omega 3 fats in canned tuna because oil and water don't mix, therefore the Omega 3 oil stays in the tuna instead of blending into the oil it would be packed in (which gets discarded down the drain). Omega 3 is instrumental in keeping arteries unclogged and hearts working at peak performance.
Free from Saturated Fat, canned tuna is an excellent source of protein, Vitamins B6 and B10, Selenium and Niacin.

If you can't remember all the specifics, just remember that canned tuna is a Good Thing and to me, Bumble Bee Albacore the best tasting. You have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince!! It's a win-win.

Trust me on this....
I can guarantee that kids and adults on the teeter totter of tuna love/hate will adore this salad.
If you insist on mayo in your tuna salad, a tablespoon can easily be added to the dressing.

Let's get cooking...... 

Tuscan Tuna Salad
makes 6 servings

* 1 can Bumble Bee Prime Fillet Solid White Albacore in Water, drained
* 1 small shallot, minced
* 1 cup green beans, cut into 1" pieces
* 1/4 cup diced roasted red peppers
* 2 cups baby Yukon potatoes, cut into 1" wedges
* 1 cup canned small white beans, drained and rinsed
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Dressing
makes 1 1/2 cups

* 1 cup canned sweet banana peppers, tops cut off
* 1 cup cocktail onions
* 1 large clove garlic or two medium, whole
* 4 anchovies or 3 teaspoons anchovy paste
* 3 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
* juice of half a lemon
* 1 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
* 1 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, or as needed
* Salt & pepper to taste

1. In a 5 quart stockpot with a steamer insert, add 1" of water. Add the potatoes and green beans to the steamer, cover and steam for 10 minutes. Remove the vegetables to a large serving bowl.
2. Drain the water in the stockpot and combine the peppers, onions, garlic, anchovies and thyme. Add just enough of the oil to cover. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool to the touch. Add the lemon juice and season with salt & pepper.
3. Transfer to a blender or processor and purée. Taste for additional seasonings.
4. To the serving bowl, add the drained tuna, the red pepper, garlic, shallot, beans, potatoes and parsley.
5. Spoon enough dressing to coat the ingredients and reserve the remainder (the potatoes will soak up the dressing). Add additional dressing right before serving so that the ingredients flow.

An InLinkz Link-up

Summer Israeli Couscous Salad

Before the weather turned to mush and my harvest is sparse at best, I anticipated baskets of zucchini.
I started collecting unique zucchini recipes.

While I wait for the windfall to begin, I still wanted to make summer sides and since my chard is growing gangbusters, I created this Israeli Couscous summer side.

The best part of this recipe is with a few exchanges from summer to fall/winter vegetables it can be eaten year 'round.
For now I love the colors. it just looks light, flavorful and extremely colorful.
I made this for a spatchcocked grilled chicken whose skin hid an orange butter, yum!

Bring this to your July 4th picnic, I am. It makes a ton. While I liked it simple, if I had zucchini's I would have chopped one into this bowl.

Israeli Couscous Salad
makes 6-8 servings

* 1 cup dried plain Israeli Couscous, cooked
* 1 bunch green chard or NOT baby spinach, stems diced and leaves sliced into 2" pieces
* 1 cup corn kernels
* 1 tomato, seeded and diced
* 1/2 carrot, grated
* 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 tablespoon sea salt & olive oil butter
* 2 teaspoons minced chives
* 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
* 1/2 small orange, juiced
* 1 tablespoon agave nectar or honey
* 1 teaspoon Sazón seasoning (I use it in everything)
* 1 tablespoon garlic aioli or 1 teaspoon garlic paste (tube)

1. In a saucepan, fill with salted water and bring to a boil. Add the couscous and cook for 8-10 minutes. Strain and rinse under cool water. Remove to a large bowl. All a drizzle of olive oil, the corn, tomato and vinegar.
2. In the same saucepan, heat the olive oil and saute the chard stems until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the leaves and cover. Lower the heat and cook for 3-4 minutes until the just wilt. Strain and chop. Add to the couscous.
3. Add the butter to the saucepan and cook the carrots, about 2 minutes. Add the orange juice, the agave, Sazon and garlic paste. Add this to the couscous.
4. Taste for seasoning and add the chives. Serve at room temperature.