Grain-free Zucchini Fritters with Roasted Garlic and Heirloom Tomato Compote

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Grain-free Zucchini Fritters

This second to last week of August is always about the time I start to get sad that summer is nearly over. My garden is producing less and less, the sun is setting earlier and I know fall and winter are just around the corner. To be honest though, with living in Southern California, it is hard to remember all of that. We’ve still been having 90 degree days and the sun has been shining like crazy. But in looking at my garden and our various fruit trees, seeing many of them nearing the end of their cycles, I am reminded the next season is nearly upon us.

Grain-free Zucchini Fritters

My veggie garden has been a source of so much joy and great food for us this summer, but it has also been a source of much frustration for me. I am still learning how to garden out west, it is so much different than it was in New York. With the lack of rain plus watering restrictions due to the draught, I struggle to remember to water my garden in the proper times. What ends up happening is it gets watered every few days. Somehow the weeds are all growing at alarming rates, they are taking over in fact, while my vegetable plants have moments of looking like they could just keel over and die at any moment.

Grain-free Zucchini Fritters

Thankfully, though they are both slowing down significantly, I am still getting a decent amount of heirloom zucchini and heirloom tomatoes from our garden. Two things I could never tire of. So, I have been trying to get creative and come up with fun new ways to enjoy them.

Grain-free Zucchini Fritters

These crispy Grain-free Zucchini Fritters are so simple to make and they are so beautifully complimented by the fresh and flavorful Roasted Garlic and Heirloom Tomato Compote. To me this is just summer in one perfect dish!

Grain-free Zucchini Fritters

I cannot actually tell you the last time I fried anything, it has been since well before we moved to California last March, so it was more than time to get my fry on. I am sure I could have come up with a way to bake these, but some things are best served with a little crispy crunch and these fritters are certainly one of them.

Grain-free Zucchini Fritters

 

These fritters are great as a quick bite, as an appetizer or snack, served with a salad or a main entree for a meal, or for a real treat, we served some of the leftovers with a fried egg on top. The perfect end-of-summer breakfast.

Grain-free Zucchini Fritters

[print_this]Grain-free Zucchini Fritters with Roasted Heirloom Tomato and Garlic Compote
Makes about 10-12 fritters

  • 1 1/2 lbs zucchini (about 2 medium-sized), coarsely grated
  • 1 teaspoon course sea salt
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/4 cup blanched almond flour
  • 1 tablespoon tapioca starch (arrowroot, potato or corn starch will also work)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced
  • oil of your choice for frying, I recommend ghee, lard or coconut oil

Add shredded zucchini to a colander and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sea salt. Allow it to drain for 10-15 minutes. After it has drained, squeeze the shredded zucchini in a nut milk bag, cheese cloth, clean kitchen towel or paper towels. You will be surprised how much liquid comes out. Keep squeezing until you’ve got as much liquid out as possible, this will save you from sad, soggy fritters.

In a large bowl whisk the egg, then add the zucchini, almond flour, tapioca starch, baking powder, black pepper and scallions. Mix well to combine.

Over a medium-high heat a few tablespoons of your oil in a large skillet, I love using my cast iron skillet. Using about 2 tablespoons of the zucchini mixture, quickly make a small fritter and then drop it into the oil, you’ll want to cook these in at least 2 batches, you don’t want to over crowd the pan. Flatten the fritters out with the back of a spatula and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until golden brown on the underside. Carefully flip and cook the other side another 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel lined cooling rack. Sprinkle with a little sea salt.

Repeat with the remaining batter, you may need to add more oil to the skillet.

Serve immediately topped with this warm roasted garlic and heirloom tomato and garlic compote, sour cream or yogurt. [/print_this]

 

NOTES:

to make vegan use a flax egg in place of the egg (mix 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons water)

If you are making a very large batch of fritters, keep the finished fried fritters in a 200ºF oven to stay warm, while you cook the remaining.

 

[print_this]Roasted Garlic and Heirloom Tomato Compote

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Arrange the tomatoes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, add the whole garlic cloves. Drizzle the olive oil over top and toss it all to combine and coat it all well with the oil. Sprinkle a little sea salt and freshly ground black pepper overtop.

Roast for 25-30 minutes, until the tomatoes are juicy and shriveling up a bit. Let the tomatoes cool slightly.

In a food processor or blender, pulse the tomatoes and all of their juices and garlic with the basil until coarsely chopped. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve over the warm fritters.

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16 Responses

  1. Megan says:

    It’s funny to me that you’re talking about the season ending because I haven’t even harvested anything from my garden yet! I have some heirloom tomatoes and I spotted a tiny green half the size of a golf ball the other day and my yellow squash are about an inch long. My zucchini plants just have blossoms on them still. I did get started late this year, but it’s a short growing season here in Wyoming! I’m hoping to get a few squash before it’s all over!

  2. Abby says:

    I have two large zucchini and plenty of tomatoes just waiting to be cooked! Your recipe timing is perfect!

  3. please don’t remind me it’s nearly the end of summer!!
    but on the other hand, these look amazing!

    http://youtube.com/addalittlefood

  4. We all need a good fry, every now and then. These zucchini fritters are absolutely worth it 🙂

  5. This looks flippin’ amazing. Also, I plan to use that compote as a salad dressing. The end.

  6. I’m with you on the gardening; I forget to water yet the weeds are taking over the garden without restraint. Tomatoes and zucchini are the only thing we were successful at producing this summer, so I look forward to turning some of our end-of-season yield into these crispy zucchini fritters. Gorgeous!

  7. […] Tasty Yummies shared Zucchini Fritters with Roasted Garlic and Heirloom Tomato Compote […]

  8. Sarah says:

    What flour to use in lieu of almond flour? (Nut allergy). Coconut?

    • Beth @ Tasty Yummies says:

      Sarah, you can try coconut flour to keep these grain-free but you will likely have to use much less, since coconut flour doesn’t sub for almond flour, cup for cup. Also, any all-purpose flour should work too, gluten-free or not. Again, you just may have to change the amount used. I have only made these with the almond flour so I can’t offer too much more advice. Hope that helps.

  9. Malin says:

    this looks delicious! Is there anything I can substitute the almond flour with? a person I’m cooking this for is allergic to almonds and other nuts.

    • Beth @ Tasty Yummies says:

      You can try another nut flour to keep these grain-free or really any all-purpose flour should work too, gluten-free or not. You just may have to change the amount used. I have only made these with the almond flour so I can’t offer too much more advice. Hope that helps.

  10. Cata says:

    Just made them
    But they turned out salty
    I guess too much salt I didn’t wash the salt but do
    you think I need to? The point is too eliminate the water from the zuchinis

    Thanks I’ll try ten again

    • Beth @ Tasty Yummies says:

      Oh no, bummer Cata, did you add salt on top of the salt you added to the zucchini? I usually don’t need to do that since that is more than enough. Usually I find the excess salt comes off when squeezing out the liquid. Rinsing them will just add even more water so I wouldn’t recommend doing that, but you can if you’ like. Just might take a bit more squeezing on your part 😉

  11. Nienna says:

    These were really lovely! I did add a little bit of grated cheddar though as we’re not dairy free, and enjoyed them with poached eggs. Thank you ever so much for the brilliant recipe!

  12. I love zucchini fritters and (bonus!) I have a huge zucchini waiting for me to use up! Yay!

  13. It is weird to think that’s summer is almost over – especially since we get such a hot September in SoCal that it’s almost like summer part deux! Side note: Can we have a round of these before the season ends?

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