I knew the zucchini fry recipe had potential when I heard about it back in the fall.

I also knew I had to proceed carefully lest I arouse Big Guy’s suspicions about anything that grows in the ground.

“Maybe if I say the ‘fries’ part loudly and mumble ‘zucchini’ I can trick him,” I wrote at Cooking and  Eating in Texas when the original recipe was posted.

OK, so it’s still a fry, and not one with a ton of nutritional advantages over traditional French fries. Zucchini has more Vitamin A, it’s a draw on Vitamin C, and potato wins when it comes to iron. Potatoes need a better public relations campaign, because a lot of people don’t realize what a nutritional wallop they really pack.

Not so much when they’re deep-fried, though, and that’s one of the things I like about the zucchini fries. They’re skilled fried in a scant amount of olive oil and not for nearly as long. Plus they expose Big Guy to something different, even if he doesn’t know it.

Zucchini fries taste great, too. They’re so fantastic I almost made myself sick eating them. They gave me a flashback to the deep-fried zucchini Benegan’s used to serve, except without all the batter. Even Big Guy admitted they were good.

I tweaked Caryn’s original recipe only a big, substituting onion powder for garlic salt. I also used more Parmesan , because the gospel according to the guys is that everything tastes better with sprinkle cheese.

Zucchini fries

• 1 medium zucchini trimmed – I used two small
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 tbl. shredded Parmesan, plus more to top
• 1 tbl. all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup olive oil

Cut zucchini into 1/8-inch-thick strips. Toss with salt in strainer set over a bowl or sink and drain 30 minutes. Squeeze handfuls of zucchini to remove moisture, then roll in a triple layer of paper towels and squeeze to remove remaining moisture.

Combine onion powder, Parmesan, and flour in a plastic bag and shake to combine. Add zucchini and shake to coat.

Heat oil in a skillet and add zucchini, turning occasionally and frying until zucchini is golden, 5 to 6 minutes. I think I got a little antsy on my first batch and added the zucchini before the oil was hot enough, which meant the fries were a little soggy. My second batch was perfect, though.

Drain zucchini on paper towels and top with additional Parmesan. Serve immediately – and I do mean immediately. These are best when hot and fresh.

I dipped them in a combination of egg-free mayonnaise and horse radish, though Caryn at Cooking and Eating in Texas says ranch dressing is tasty as well.

Keep those ideas coming, Caryl. The corn casserole looks good, too. I just have to figure out a way to pitch it to  Big Guy. At the least, Boots and I will love it.

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Copyright 2009 Debra Legg. All rights reserved.

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