ZUCCHINI PANKES W/ BASIL CHIVE CREAM CHEESE

By suzygav

Ingredients

• For basil chive cream:
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• For pancakes:
• 4 cups coarsely grated zucchini (1 lb)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 large egg whites
• 4 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil

Preparation

Step 1

Make basil chive cream:
Blend sour cream, water, basil, chives, and salt in a blender until smooth and pale green. Chill until ready to serve.

Make pancakes:
Put zucchini in a colander and toss with salt. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes, then wrap zucchini in a kitchen towel and twist towel to wring out as much liquid as possible. Transfer zucchini to a large bowl and stir in flour, sugar, and pepper.

Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt using an electric mixer until they just hold stiff peaks, then gently fold into zucchini mixture.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Working in batches of 5, spoon 2 tablespoons batter per pancake into skillet, flattening slightly with back of spoon. Cook pancakes, turning once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes total, transferring as cooked to paper towels to drain and adding more oil to skillet as necessary.

Serve immediately, with basil chive cream.