Friday, February 04, 2005

Fried Zucchini Sticks


I remember that when I was about 7, I couldn't imagine how my parents could eat onion rings and fried zucchini sticks when we went out to steakhouses. And it certainly wasn't because I was considering the artery-clogging qualities of those foods. To me, they were vegetables, no matter what form they took! Suffice to say, it did not take me long to love both of these foods: crunchy, salty, and deliciously dip-able.
I think it's a hassle to fry things at home, not to mention that it is much more heart healthy to save large quantities of fried food for less frequent dining occasions. These are my homemade zucchini sticks. There is no specific recipe. I slice zucchini down into several pieces and they are baked in the oven after being dipped in an egg-white wash and a mixture of salt, pepper, garlic and panko bread crumbs. They only take about 10 minutes to brown up in a 425F oven. They will get much crisper if you set them on a rack on a baking sheet, otherwise you'll want to flip them halfway through baking. Serve with marinara and ranch dressing (and a side of steak!).