Zucchini Griddle Cakes rev up season's repertoire

(Serve the griddle cakes with a dollop of Greek yogurt and salsa for a light summer meal)

When life gives you zucchini ....

You gardeners know what I mean — after you've made countless variations of zucchini casseroles, patties, breads, muffins and grilled them to perfection, you start to give them to your friends, co-workers and anonymous people you might pass on the street.

(Pick the zucchini when they are small, but sometimes they get away from you: think stuffed zucchini or bread or cake when they start to look like baseball bats)

Here is a delicious recipe for Zucchini Griddle Cakes I adapted from that little gem of a cookbook "Cooking from the Garden" (didn't I say it comes in handy as you're picking things from the garden?

I changed it up by adding feta cheese and different vegetables, but basically it is a variation of a zucchini patty.

The coarse, stone-ground cornmeal I used made it taste a bit like a polenta, which I love.

Feel free to add different vegetables and herbs or a different cheese, such as gorgonzola, but if you have a lot of zucchini, make sure that dominates. The cakes are also good with homemade tomato sauce and a hefty grating of Parmesan cheese.

(Add a little feta, or gorgonzola, to the patties before flipping them over)

Garden Zucchini Griddle Cakes

1. 1 1/2 cups milk
2. 1 teaspoon sugar (this could be optional)
3. 1 tablespoon good yogurt or sour cream, plus more to serve
4. 1 cup grated zucchini, sprinkled with salt and then drained
5. 1/2 cup grated carrots
6. 1/2 cup grilled corn kernels
7. 1/3 cup red bell pepper, diced
8. 1 small onion, minced
9. 1 clove garlic, minced
10. 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
11. 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
12. 1 cup coarse cornmeal
13. 2 tablespoons melted butter, cooled
14. 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
15. freshly chopped herbs: basil, parsley, coriander, chives
16. freshly grated black pepper
17. salsa or any other chutney for serving

• Combine the milk, sugar and 1 tablespoon of yogurt; allow to come to room temperature or heat it a bit so it is not cold. Set aside.
• Combined the zucchini that has been squeezed to remove the moisture with the carrots, pepper, corn, onion and garlic.
• Add the oil to a large skillet and saute the vegetable mix until the onions are soft (don't let the mix brown too much). Add the fresh herbs and saute another minute.
• Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Mix together the cornmeal, milk mixture, melted butter, vegetables and all the oil from the skillet, and the eggs.
• Allow to stand for a few minutes.

(After adding the cheese, flip the cakes over and let brown)

• Heat a griddle on your stovetop or outdoor grill that has been rubbed with olive oil.
• Drop the batter (about two tablespoons per cake) onto the hot skillet and let bubble a bit before adding some crumbled feta. Let cook a few more seconds and then flip the griddle cakes over and brown the other side.
• Serve with a dollop of yogurt and salsa and a green salad for a very satisfying summer meal.

Got a recipe that uses zucchini from the garden? Post it here or e-mail at bfarrell@poughkeepsiejournal.com.