Makeshift Zucchini Latkes & Savory Cream

For the latkes:

Note: Slice zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds with a spoon before chopping or grating. Discard the seeds.

Combine grated/diced zucchini, potatoes, and onion in a strainer. Press down to squeeze out as much liquid as you can through the strainer. Pour vegetables into a large bowl and add garlic, egg, flour, salt, black pepper, and lemon juice. Stir until thoroughly combined.

In a large frying pan, add canola oil until the bottom is coated. Heat over medium until oil glistens. Once oil is hot, carefully scoop a heaping tablespoon of the vegetable mixture into the pan and flatten with the back of the spoon. Use the spoon to tuck stray pieces of potato or zucchini up against the latke if needed. Add three or four spoonfuls to your pan, depending on the size. You’ll cook multiple latkes at once but make sure you don’t crowd the pan.

Allow latkes to cook for 2-3 minutes. Use a flat spatula to carefully lift latke from the pan. Then, have another spatula on hand to flip the latke onto, then return it to the pan to allow the other side to cook. I found I had fewer tragedies using this method rather than flipping the latke with one spatula. Once both sides are golden brown and crisp, remove latkes to a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat with the remaining zucchini mixture.

Serve hot with a dollop of savory cream (see below) for dipping.

For the cream:

Pour cream into a bowl and whisk/beat until cream has thickened to the point where it holds a soft peak. I found that returning the cream to the fridge every few minutes (mostly when I had latkes to flip) helped to keep the cream cold enough to hold shape. Once cream has thickened, add just a little bit of salt to taste.

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen.