Zucchini herb fritters with mint yogurt

Pedro and I both enjoyed this recipe as a delicious appetizer. My yogurt came out sweeter than what I would normally make, (I think I added more honey than called for and less garlic) but the plate was very yummy nonetheless.

Zucchini-Herb Fritterswith Garlic Yogurt PUBLISHED: MAY 2015 USER RATINGS SERVINGS: MAKES ABOUT 12

Squeezing the liquid out of the zucchini is the secret to crisp fritters. (The potato helps, too.) Ingredients SERVINGS: MAKES ABOUT 12

Garlic Yogurt
½ cup plain yogurt (not Greek)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon honey
1 garlic clove, finely grated Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 small zucchini, ends trimmed
1 small russet potato, peeled
½ medium onion
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more
2 large eggs, beaten to blend
1 garlic clove, finely grated
½ teaspoon ground cumin
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley, plus more for serving
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint, plus more for serving
 Freshly ground black pepper
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup vegetable oil Olive oil (for serving)

Preparation Garlic Yogurt Mix yogurt, mint, lemon juice, oil, honey, and garlic in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper. Cover; chill. Fritters And Assembly Grate zucchini, potato, and onion on the large holes of a box grater. Transfer to a mesh sieve set over a bowl and toss with 2 tsp. salt. Let vegetables sit until they release their liquid, 30−40 minutes. Mix eggs, garlic, cumin, 3 Tbsp. parsley, and 2 Tbsp. mint in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper. Gather up half of zucchini mixture in a kitchen towel; squeeze out excess liquid. Add to bowl with egg mixture and repeat with remaining zucchini mixture. Sprinkle flour and baking powder over; mix gently. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Working in batches, spoon scoops of mixture into skillet, flattening gently with a spatula. Cook until golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack; season with salt. Drizzle yogurt sauce with olive oil and top with more herbs; serve alongside warm fritters. 

Curry and coconut grilled chicken skewers

A different sort of flavor for both Pedro and I. It's hard to break us of our most common kitchen ingredients (garlic, lime, salt, rosemary, yadda yadda) habits and this one did the trick. Definitely recommend it!

Ingredients SERVINGS: 4
1 13.5-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons Thai thin soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon kosher salt
¾ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
½ teaspoon curry powder
½ teaspoon ground turmeric

2/2 ¾ cup sweetened condensed milk
1½ pounds boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt), cut into 4x½-inch strips
4 ounces fatback, cut into ½-inch pieces

Special Equipment
Twelve 8" bamboo skewers soaked in water at least 1 hour

Preparation

Bring coconut milk, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, salt, pepper, curry powder, and turmeric to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring occasionally; reduce heat and simmer until sauce is bubbling and flavors have melded, 10–15 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl; let cool slightly, then stir in condensed milk. Taste sauce; it should be sweet, salty, and peppery. Season with salt and pepper if needed. Add pork and toss, massaging meat with your hands. Cover and chill 1 hour. Prepare grill for medium-high heat. Thread a piece of fatback onto middle of each skewer, then thread on a piece of pork so one end of pork touches fat and other is at pointy end of skewer. Grill, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and cooked through, about 4 minutes.

Grilled green salad with coffee vinaigrette

This was really tasty and flexible in terms of choice of vegetable. As you can see, I cheated and snuck some red peppers in there. I also grilled jalapeño (de-seeded and deveined), asparagus, green onion and Costco's power greens mix (chopped). I topped the salad with fresh avocado and cucumber. Finally, I used 2 tbsp of prepared espresso instead of the instant kind. I think instant might be the better way to go but this was delicious nonetheless. Thanks to kimmy for providing a whole new level of excitement in the Maiz Waller kitchen with a year's subscription to Bon Apetit magazine for my 31st birthday!

Using these exact vegetables is not the point; choose whatever’s in season and can stand up to being charred. The genius coffee dressing brings it all together.

Ingredients SERVINGS: 8
4 spring onions or 8 scallions, white parts only, spring onions halved lengthwise, quartered if large
4 tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed, quartered
1 large or 2 small nopales (cactus paddles), spikes removed
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 ounces queso fresco
⅔ cup olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons Sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
2/3 1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon instant espresso
Vegetable oil (for grill)
3 cups torn frisée
1 cup trimmed watercress
½ English hothouse cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeds removed, thinly sliced
1 cup fresh cilantro and parsley leaves with tender stems

Preparation

Combine onions, tomatillos, nopales, garlic, cheese, and ⅓ cup olive oil in a large resealable plastic bag; season with salt and pepper. Seal bag, pressing out air, and toss to coat. Let sit at least 1 hour. Whisk vinegar, honey, and espresso in a medium bowl until honey and espresso are dissolved. Gradually add remaining ⅓ cup olive oil, whisking constantly. Season with salt and pepper; set aside. Prepare grill for medium-high heat; lightly oil grates. (Or, heat a grill pan over medium-high.) Remove onions, tomatillos, and nopales from marinade; grill, turning occasionally, until tender and charred in spots, about 5 minutes. Let cool. Remove cheese from marinade and grill, turning often, until browned on all sides, 8−10 minutes; let cool. Cut vegetables into bite-size pieces; coarsely chop cheese. Arrange greens on a platter. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with half of vinaigrette. Top with cucumber, herbs, and grilled vegetables and cheese; drizzle with remaining vinaigrette. Do Ahead: Vinaigrette can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.