Zucchini Cakes

Zucchini Cakes with Lemon-Garlic Aioli

These zucchini cakes are savory and delicious. They make a decent crab-cake substitute, if you want to call them that. "Better", even, according to Jim Fisher who hosts the monthly show Common Health the 3rd Wednesday  of each month on our community radio station 89.9 WERU. Here's what Jim had to say about the zucchini cakes I brought along to the station when I appeared as his guest on the show this morning:
"I ate the zucchini cakes on the drive back to my office.  I thought they were better than crab cakes."

If you would like to listen to an archive of the show Common Health, click here.

It is the height of squash season here and as always, I installed far too many zucchini and yellow squash plants in the garden. I'm forever trying to find tasty ways to use up the surplus. I have steamed and frozen many for use in soups and stews later this year but I have been thinking about the zucchini cakes I used to make with Halloumi cheese and sort of missing them. I haven't eaten cheese or used it in cooking for years so what could I do? I grated some zucchini, and while it dried  in a tea towel and looked through some cookbooks for ideas.

Honking Big Zucchinis Every Day!

Multiple Squash on Multiple Vines!

I found 2 recipes for vegan zucchini cakes which looked like good possibilities. One had a bit too much oil and vegan butter substitute for my liking so I made up a combo of the 2 recipes and added my own spin on the thing. My sister D came for dinner last night and although she did not like the idea of calling these a "crab-less cake" or "vegan Crab-like Cake" she did enjoy these little beauties and even commented "they do taste a bit like, and have the texture of crab cakes", HA!
We had ours on a bed of arugula and today I had the leftovers with a salad. I whipped up a yummy lemon-y, garlick-y Aioli sauce using dijon mustard, a little reduced fat Veganaise, fresh squeezed lemon, garlic & dill.

Zucchini Crab-like Cakes

Note: these can be gluten free!

Ingredients:

1 Honking Big Zucchini, grated (about 3 cups)

1 1/2 cups bread or cracker crumbs (I used GF Bread Crumbs)

2 tsp. canola oil

1/2 cup very thin-sliced Red Onion - chopped

2 Tbsp Ground Flax Meal

2 tsp. Low-Sodium Old Bay Seasoning

1 - 2 tsp. Dill Weed (I used dried)

Kelp or Dulse Seasoning to taste (I used Maine Coast)

Fresh Ground Pepper

Additional Bread Crumbs or Flour ( I used fine-texture Brown Rice Bread Crumbs and Garbanzo Bean Flour)

Pan Spray

Method:

1. Place the grated zucchini on a large tea towel and rolled it, squeezed it to dry it a quite a bit

2. Mix the zucchini with bread crumbs, oil, onion, flax, Old Bay, dill, and season with Kelp and Pepper.

3. Mix thoroughly, I used my hands for this.

4. Form equal amounts into patties and dredge in bread crumbs or flour to coat.

5.Cook in a non-stick skillet using pan-spray to add browning and prevent sticking. If you have a great non-stick pan which you need use no oil, good for you!

 Here is something else you can do when you have too much Zucchini and Yellow Squash in your garden: Vegetable Noodles! For recipe, go here

Zucchini and Yellow Squash Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes, Pine Nuts and Balsamic Reduction, ALMOST RAW!