summer squash, chicken, and ricotta with a caper dill sauce
Summer is in full swing, and so are the summer squash plants. Right now, it seems that I am harvesting at least a zucchini or yellow squash a day from the garden. I wanted to play around with these wonderful vegetables and see what dishes I could create with them as star ingredients. This recipe was one of the results. Inspired in concept by crab cakes, this dish diverts from its inspiration in using lighter ingredients in the cake – mainly vegetables instead of mostly meat and a ricotta cheese instead of primarily mayonnaise. Freshly fried, these crisp cakes paired with a caper, dill, and mayonnaise sauce form a wonderful dinner. The only addition to make is a bit of crisp cucumber on the side to add a freshness to contrast with the richness of the fried cakes. I like tossing my cucumbers in a bit of leftover dill and lemon juice from the recipe and seasoning with salt and pepper. Next time you get tired of making zucchini bread, give this recipe a try and enjoy the summery flavors of this dish.
– The Recipe –
Summer Squash Cakes
prep time:10 min
total time:30 min
makes: 12 cakes
Ingredients
Cakes
- 3 c shredded summer squash
- 1 c diced cooked chicken
- 1/2 c ricotta
- 1 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1/4 c celery, finely diced
- 2 cloves of garlic, grated
- 3/4 c panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/8 c parsley, chopped
- 1/tbsp chive, finely chopped
- Oil for frying
Sauce
- 2/3 c mayonnaise
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp caper brine
- 2 tsp capers
- 1/8 tsp pepper
Directions
- Mix the sauce ingredients together and allow to sit while making the cakes.
- Shred the summer squash onto a tea towel and squeeze to remove excess moisture.
- Prep the remaining cake ingredients and mix them together in a bowl along with the summer squash.
- In a large frying pan heat frying oil with at least 1/4 in of oil on medium high heat, until hot.
- Shape the cakes, and fry in the hot oil for roughly 3 minutes per side until golden brown.
- Remove the cakes from pan and drain on a paper towel lined plate.
- Serve the cakes with the sauce and a fresh salad on the side; garnish with additional capers and chives if desired.
Apricity 