Zucchini Chickpea Mock “Crab” Cakes

When I saw these zucchini “crab” cakes over at My Kitchen Addiction, I so very badly wanted to try them. I love crab cakes. I love zucchini. I loved the idea of making a crab-cake-like thing with zucchini. I couldn’t wait till my sister brought me some zucchini so I could try them! She brought me these gorgeous striped Italian zucchini, along with some regular green ones. I used one of the pretty Italian ones for this dish.

These “crab” cakes have no crab in them at all … they are made with zucchini, breadcrumbs, spices and chickpeas. They don’t really taste like crab, but they are pretty yummy. They have that same soft, gentle texture that crab cakes have, which I really love. I think, though, the next time I make these I will tone down the Old Bay seasoning or replace it altogether with other seasonings. I love Old Bay seasoning on seafood, but it seems a little strong when there really isn’t any seafood present. (Or maybe, just maybe, next time I should toss in some real crab along with the zucchini! Now that would be fun.)

This time, however, I had some tzatziki on hand so I thought instead of tartar sauce, I smeared on some tzatziki and topped with slices of mom’s first fresh garden tomatoes. Oh yes, that was the perfect topping in my book. I also think they would be fun as sliders, served in little buns. I suppose most people would classify these as appetizers, but I think they make a nice little meal.

I was in a rush to eat so I didn’t salt and drain the shredded zucchini like she did … I just set it on a clean kitchen towel, covering it in the towel, and pressed to remove the excess moisture. I also added extra breadcrumbs and some chickpeas to mellow out the flavor a bit and give it some extra protein.

Zucchini Chickpea Mock “Crab” Cakes

Adapted from My Kitchen Addiction. I think I got about 15 – 18 2-inch patties from this batch. It was hard to count because I kept munching on them as I cooked.

• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 2 cups bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon light mayonnaise
• 1/4 – 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning (I used 1 teaspoon, but I think that was too much. I recommend starting with a little bit and tasting it, then add more to taste.)
• 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon salt (again, start light and add to taste)
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 handful fresh parsley, chopped
• a sprig or two of fresh terragon, chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• 1/4 cup freshly shredded asiago cheese
• 1 heaping cup of chickpeas, finely chopped until they are almost a mush in a handi chopper or food processor
• Freshly ground black pepper

• For frying: 2 – 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• For dipping/serving: tartar or tzatziki sauce (my recipe for tzatziki is here), fresh tomato slices, little buns if you like

Directions:

1. Set the zucchini on a clean kitchen towel, cover and squeeze out the excess moisture. Put the zucchini in a large mixing bowl and toss it with the breadcrumbs. Add the rest of the ingredients except the olive oil and mix well. Form into patties.
2. Heat 2 Tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Once the oil is hot, add the cakes to the pan.  Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, until golden brown. If you have more cakes yet to cook, add a Tablespoon more oil and wait till it heats up, then cook the rest of the cakes. Put the cakes in a clean towel to keep them warm until you’re done frying.
3. Serve warm, topped with your choice of toppings. They can be reheated in the oven (or toaster oven) at 400 for about 5 – 8 minutes.

This recipe was shared at Cast Party Wednesday and Manic Monday.