Zucchini Pancakes with Guacamole

My daughter loves zucchini (courgettes). When she was very little, she collected some leftover change, saving it until she had a little pile of coins. I was surprised. My daughter is a princess and has everything she needs. But she showed me her savings and told me, “Daddy, I want to buy zucchini.” So that Sunday, my sacred no-work day, we headed to our favorite farmers’ market, Danilovskiy Rynok. I taught her how to pick out the best produce, and then we came home and made these oladyi, something between a pancake and fritter. Since then, they’ve become a staple in our home and we’ve even put them on the menu at both White Rabbit and Gorynich, where they’ve become bestsellers.

INGREDIENTS

For the zucchini pancakes:

• ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose (plain) flour, sifted

• 1¼ teaspoons (5 g) granulated sugar Scant ½ teaspoon (2 g) baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)

• Scant ½ teaspoon (2 g) baking powder

  Cooking for Your Kids: At Home with the World's Greatest Chefs Joshua David Stein

• Scant ½ teaspoon salt

• 1 oz (36 g) fresh spinach, chopped 1 egg

• 6 tablespoons (3 fl oz/90 ml) whole milk

• 4 oz (110 g) zucchini (courgettes), peeled and grated

For the guacamole:

• 1 (100 g) avocado

• 4 teaspoons (12 g) finely chopped chili pepper

• 4 teaspoons (12 g) fresh cilantro

• (coriander) leaves

• 4 teaspoons (20 ml) extra-virgin  olive oil

• 1 teaspoon (4 ml) fresh lime juice

• 1 teaspoon salt

For assembly:

• 5½ tablespoons (2¾ fl oz/80 ml) sunflower oil

• 2 tablespoons (4 g) dill, chopped

• 1 oz (30 g) kale, washed, dried, 

• and roughly chopped

• 2 oz (60 g) fresh green peas

INSTRUCTIONS

Make the zucchini pancakes:

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda (bicarb), baking powder, salt, spinach, egg, and milk. Add the grated zucchini (courgettes) and stir. Set aside for 10 minutes.

Make the guacamole:

Blend the avocado into a purée. Add the chili, cilantro (coriander), olive oil, lime juice, and salt. Blend again until smooth.

To assemble:

In a frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat until shimmering-hot. Add the batter by ¼ cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) and fry the pancakes on both sides until evenly cooked.

Serve the pancakes sprinkled with dill, guacamole, green peas, and kale on the side.

Adapted from Cooking for Your Kids: At Home with the World's Greatest Chefs by Joshua David Stein. Copyright 2021, Phaidon.

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