Fun With Zucchini Fries: Stars And Stripes

• the main zucchini part
• 1 zucchini about 8" long after trimming off both ends
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated fresh parmigiano reggiamo raw milk cheese
• pinch kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh black pepper
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup dipping mix from second set of ingredients
• the dipping sauce
• 1 cup premium sour cream or equivalent thickness in a Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup Bulgarian sheep's feta cheese (or equivalent substitute)
• leaves from 3 one inch sprigs of fresh lemon thyme
• 1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves
• 1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon green scallions, chopped
• green peels from the zucchini as described further below (optional)
• pinch of kosher salt
• fresh grated black pepper
• premium vegetable oil for frying (I used olive)
• 1/2 cup sour cream in reserve, in case anyone prefers in place of this dip
• 1/4 cup friendly addition of a fresh bruschetta also makes a great dipping sauce.

1. For a decorative effect peel about a 1/4" wide stripe of zucchini vertically; skip over an equal width green stripe and then peel the next. Continue alternating around the zucchini ending with even green and yellow stripes. Reserve the vertical green peels to use in making the dipping sauce. If you are more in a rush, you can skip the steps making the green stripes.
2. Next cut the zucchini in half horizontally, creating 2 four inch segments. With one of these halves, proceed to cut it further into about twelve 1/3" tall rounds. Next cut each of these into a 5 pointed star. Cut the other half into 4" long by @1/2" wide vertical sticks. You could choose just to use the dark green banded sticks for the stripes face up to contrast these with the yellow stars when serving.....which I didn't think of when I photographed these, I also use the stripe effect with my "green zebras."
3. Next start the sauce by placing the sour cream (or yogurt) into a blender with the feta, the reserve green peel from the zucchini, and the fresh herbs. (Make sure you use a wonderful sour cream or yogurt. My mideastern market has great choices). Process. Keep 1/4 cup of this mix for the breading process.
4. Spoon the rest of the sauce into a serving bowl and keep chilled until serving time.
5. Now set up a breading station. In one bowl add the beaten egg to the 1/4 cup of the dipping sauce. Mix the bread crumbs with the parm. cheese, salt and pepper in another bowl.
6. First roll the cut zucchini pieces in the egg mixture. Next roll them in the bread crumb mix.
7. Heat a heavy skillet. Next add as little oil as you can get away with. I like to coat the bottom of the pan. When a drop of water would sizzle in the pan, proceed to add a manageable number of the breaded zucchini to the pan. I like to cook first the star shapes, then do the stripes in a second batch.
8. Drain on paper towels.
9. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve with the dipping sauce. As an alternative to the zesty dipping sauce, some folks may prefer plain sour cream with this instead along with some fresh tomato bruschetta. I like to offer both options.
10. An alternative version of this recipe can be made using whatever shapes you can imagine. For example the rounds can be cut into "O's" and the "stripes" can be crossed into "X's" (see photo if interested).

zucchini, zucchini, bread crumbs, milk cheese, kosher salt, black pepper, egg, dipping mix from second, dipping sauce, sour cream, feta cheese, lemon thyme, mint leaves, flat leaf parsley, green scallions, green peels, kosher salt, black pepper, vegetable oil, sour cream, friendly addition

Taken from food52.com/recipes/5348-fun-with-zucchini-fries-stars-and-stripes (may not work)