Delicious Zucchini French Fries

Zurie's Note:

A slightly naughty but nice way with this veggie, which can be bland. This is delicious as snack, side dish, and especially to serve with hamburgers instead of french fries! Always make more than you think will be eaten, because it's always a hit! Here, I give quantities, but it's approximate. So is the time required. It's no problem slicing the zucchini earlier in the day and keeping it, covered, in a bowl, until needed. It absorbs very little oil and no deep oil cooking is required. Have some flaky sea salt handy ...

• Total Time: 50 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 3

• 1 lb zucchini, small
• 1 lemon (you need the juice from 1/2 lemon)
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/3 cup cornmeal (less, actually!)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper, coarsely ground
• 1 teaspoon seasoning salt (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
• oil (for frying)

Directions:

1. Wash, top and tail the small zucchinis.
2. Slice each in half, then slice into julienne strips, thin, like thin french fries. At this stage they can be put into a plastic bag or bowl, and kept until needed.
3. To prepare: Squeeze the juice from 1/2 of the lemon -- you should have about 3 - 4 tablespoons. In a bowl, toss the zucchini strips, using a large spoon, with the lemon juice, until damp. Use more lemon juice if necessary.
4. Mix the flour and cornflour (less than the 1/3 cup mentioned: my maths is bad) in a bowl, and add the black pepper and seasoning salt. (You can actually leave out the salt and rather put flaky sea salt on the table for salting later).
5. Chuck this flour mixture into the bowl of zucchini fries, and toss until more or less coated -- neat work is not necessary.
6. Heat about 1 inch of oil in a medium saucepan, preferably with heavy bottom.
7. When hot, using a slotted metal spoon, add a good heaped spoonful of zucchini strips to the oil. (I find that it takes about 10 minutes for the zucchini to actually start browning).
8. You can fry them until just done (they won't be crisp, but still nice) or you can fry them until golden brown. They do not colour evenly, which doesn't matter.
9. Put out a few thicknesses of kitchen paper towels next to the pot. When the zucchini strips turn colour, take out with slotted spoon and let drain on the kitchen paper. Repeat process.
10. The quantity given above was about 4 batches to fry (it depends on the saucepan and you!).
11. Tip each drained batch into an oven dish, and keep warm -- but serve as soon as possible, while crisp. Flaky sea salt on unseasoned fries is delicious.

Reviews

[Cam's Girl]

Delicous. Nice crunch and flavor. The lemon adds to it. You will be hooked. Served with a horseadish, garlic and red pepper mayo. Thanks Zurie.

[MarraMamba]

I just loved this. I made it as written but left out the seasoning salt for sea salt afterwards. The lemon makes a great addition to the flavor, just enough to perk up bland zucchini. A real keeper

[puppitypup]

Oh dear, these didn't work out as I had hoped. I think maybe it was the nutmeg, which I adore, but didn't seem to taste quite right on the zucchini. I think I also sliced the zucchini too thin, as they achieved golden color in about 5 minutes but didn't get crisp. I will try again without the nutmeg and with thicker slices. Thanks for posting Zurie. Made for Comfort Food tag in the Photo Forum, please see my rating system (3 really does mean we liked it).