Fritters n' Eggs
One of the good things about having a blog is that I am constantly challenged to find new recipes and create dishes that are worthy of sharing. First, the dish must pass muster with David and that, in itself, presents its share of problems.
On the other hand, one of the not-so-great things is that recycling the recipes we love is generally not something we do much of. However, if you tweak, restyle or repurpose the recipe, why not?
Now that we are carb-free, or mostly carb-free (no bread, flour, potatoes, rice, pasta = no fun), we are forced to get clever and come up with new twists on our old favorites.
Take breakfast for example. What is breakfast without a piece of toast, a corn or flour tortilla, a muffin or biscuit? And the ubiquitous fried potatoes or perhaps even a hearty spoonful of luscious grits to go with your eggs?
Not when you are eschewing--as opposed to chewing--carbs. Ba hum bug, you say? I would tend to agree, but please refrain from using any impolite labels until you see what we came up with.
We love hash browns as much as anyone and we do miss potatoes. Although potatoes contain an inordinate amount of potassium, they rank high on the glycemic index, which means they can create high fluctuations in blood glucose and insulin levels. (According to the glycemic index website, "Choosing low GI carbs is the secret to long-term health reducing your risk of heart disease and diabetes and is the key to sustainable weight loss.") So, rather than suffer without in silence, we came up with a breakfast alternative.
Zucchini fritters. We made them countless times this summer when they were featured in Food & Wine magazine and we thought they would make lovely breakfast pillows for placing fried eggs. And they do.
Served under a fried egg, you would swear the shredded zucchini fritters were made of potatoes. They provide the creamy internal texture of hash browns as well as the external crunch, but, gratefully, not the carb. And that's a fine way to start any day.
The joy of cutting into the egg and watching the yolk coat the zucchini fritter is sublime. (Full disclosure: I like my egg yolks cooked hard, but I must admit that watching David's egg yolk break and ooze onto the fritter was truly lush.) This dish is definitely something you'd be served in a restaurant in New York or LA--a dish specially prepared for the celebrities who shun carbs.
So no matter where you live, you, too, can start your day feeling as though you have given up nothing.
Buen provecho!
Print recipe
We made these for ourselves two days in a row. Once without prosciutto and again the next day with. The crispy fried prosciutto won out and that's the way we're suggesting you make your dish as well.
Zucchini fritter batter
Farm fresh eggs, 2 per person
Prosciutto, 1 piece per person
Sour cream for garnish, optional
Prepare the zucchini fritter batter according to the recipe.
In a large skillet, add enough canola, olive, grapeseed oil and/or a combination of oils so that there is about 1/4 - 1/2" of oil on the bottom of the pan. Place the skillet over medium-high heat and wait until the oil is hot. Before you start making the fritters, place a small dollop of batter in the oil to make sure it's hot enough. If the oil bubbles and sizzles when you place the batter in, it's hot enough and you are ready to begin.
Place several spoonfuls of batter in the skillet and let cook until that side is fully browned. This should take about 3 minutes. Flip the fritters and allow to brown on the other side, another 2-3 minutes.
While the fritters are cooking, place a drizzle of oil in another skillet over medium-high heat and add the prosciutto. Because prosciutto is cut so thin, it will get somewhat crispy, but you don't want it to burn, so be careful. Turn the prosciutto when it's cooked on one side and let the other side cook thoroughly. Place the prosciutto on a paper towel lined plate.
When the fritters are cooked, place them on a paper towel lined plate or platter as well and immediately sprinkle with salt. Depending on how many people you are serving, either continue cooking the fritters or start making the eggs.
In the same skillet as you cooked the fritters, crack two eggs close together so they merge as one. Allow the eggs to cook without disturbing them for a minute. Then, using a spatula, begin to baste the eggs by carefully pushing the oil over the top of the eggs so as to cook them without needing to flip. Continue basting the eggs. When they are cooked, remove the eggs and sprinkle with salt.
Place two fritters on a plate, top with prosciutto and then the eggs. Generously grind fresh black pepper over the top and serve.
On the other hand, one of the not-so-great things is that recycling the recipes we love is generally not something we do much of. However, if you tweak, restyle or repurpose the recipe, why not?
Now that we are carb-free, or mostly carb-free (no bread, flour, potatoes, rice, pasta = no fun), we are forced to get clever and come up with new twists on our old favorites.
Take breakfast for example. What is breakfast without a piece of toast, a corn or flour tortilla, a muffin or biscuit? And the ubiquitous fried potatoes or perhaps even a hearty spoonful of luscious grits to go with your eggs?
 |
| Weekend brunch--olive oil eggs with chives, proscuitto and sausage, toasted rustic bread and freshly squeezed grapefruit juice. |
Not when you are eschewing--as opposed to chewing--carbs. Ba hum bug, you say? I would tend to agree, but please refrain from using any impolite labels until you see what we came up with.
We love hash browns as much as anyone and we do miss potatoes. Although potatoes contain an inordinate amount of potassium, they rank high on the glycemic index, which means they can create high fluctuations in blood glucose and insulin levels. (According to the glycemic index website, "Choosing low GI carbs is the secret to long-term health reducing your risk of heart disease and diabetes and is the key to sustainable weight loss.") So, rather than suffer without in silence, we came up with a breakfast alternative.
Zucchini fritters. We made them countless times this summer when they were featured in Food & Wine magazine and we thought they would make lovely breakfast pillows for placing fried eggs. And they do.
Served under a fried egg, you would swear the shredded zucchini fritters were made of potatoes. They provide the creamy internal texture of hash browns as well as the external crunch, but, gratefully, not the carb. And that's a fine way to start any day.
The joy of cutting into the egg and watching the yolk coat the zucchini fritter is sublime. (Full disclosure: I like my egg yolks cooked hard, but I must admit that watching David's egg yolk break and ooze onto the fritter was truly lush.) This dish is definitely something you'd be served in a restaurant in New York or LA--a dish specially prepared for the celebrities who shun carbs.
So no matter where you live, you, too, can start your day feeling as though you have given up nothing.
Buen provecho!
 |
| Zucchini fritters with a fried egg |
 |
| Zucchini fritters with crispy prosciutto and fried eggs |
Fried Eggs over Zucchini Fritters and Prosciutto
The Cowgirl GourmetPrint recipe
We made these for ourselves two days in a row. Once without prosciutto and again the next day with. The crispy fried prosciutto won out and that's the way we're suggesting you make your dish as well.
Zucchini fritter batter
Farm fresh eggs, 2 per person
Prosciutto, 1 piece per person
Sour cream for garnish, optional
Prepare the zucchini fritter batter according to the recipe.
In a large skillet, add enough canola, olive, grapeseed oil and/or a combination of oils so that there is about 1/4 - 1/2" of oil on the bottom of the pan. Place the skillet over medium-high heat and wait until the oil is hot. Before you start making the fritters, place a small dollop of batter in the oil to make sure it's hot enough. If the oil bubbles and sizzles when you place the batter in, it's hot enough and you are ready to begin.
Place several spoonfuls of batter in the skillet and let cook until that side is fully browned. This should take about 3 minutes. Flip the fritters and allow to brown on the other side, another 2-3 minutes.
While the fritters are cooking, place a drizzle of oil in another skillet over medium-high heat and add the prosciutto. Because prosciutto is cut so thin, it will get somewhat crispy, but you don't want it to burn, so be careful. Turn the prosciutto when it's cooked on one side and let the other side cook thoroughly. Place the prosciutto on a paper towel lined plate.
When the fritters are cooked, place them on a paper towel lined plate or platter as well and immediately sprinkle with salt. Depending on how many people you are serving, either continue cooking the fritters or start making the eggs.
In the same skillet as you cooked the fritters, crack two eggs close together so they merge as one. Allow the eggs to cook without disturbing them for a minute. Then, using a spatula, begin to baste the eggs by carefully pushing the oil over the top of the eggs so as to cook them without needing to flip. Continue basting the eggs. When they are cooked, remove the eggs and sprinkle with salt.
Place two fritters on a plate, top with prosciutto and then the eggs. Generously grind fresh black pepper over the top and serve.
.JPG)
Comments