Fried Zucchini with Vinegar and Garlic

This dish is much more delicious than the simplicity of the ingredients lets on. A kick of vinegar lightens up the fried zucchini and the quick coat of flour before frying gives it a crispy complex texture. 

The vinegar in this recipe was what intrigued me to try it and I was right to think it would be great with a simple roast chicken or just as a side to some hearty pasta. If you don't want to mess around with frying it would be almost as good pan sauteed with the garlic and then splashed with the vinegar right before serving. You'd lose a little crispness but keep the flavor balance. 

Fried Zucchini in Vinegar and Garlic

Adapted from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan

1 pound fresh zucchini, cut into ¼ inch sticks
Salt
2 garlic cloves, smashed but still whole
Vegetable Oil, enough for frying
Flour
2-3 tablespoons good wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Sprinkle zucchini sticks with salt and let rest in a colander to shed some of their water.

2. Heat ¼ inch of oil in a wide pan. When the oil is quite hot, prepare zucchini sticks by sprinkling them with flour and shaking off excess. Add about half the zucchini sticks to the hot oil. Fry up just enough at a time that they do not crowd the pan. They should sizzle on contact when added to the oil.

3. Turn zucchini sticks when they begin to brown on one side. When they are brown all over use a spider or slotted spoon to transfer to a deep dish, shaking them to remove as much oil as possible.

4. Drizzle with some of the vinegar, they will crackle. Fry the remaining zucchini in batches.

5. Bury the smashed garlic cloves in amongst the fried zucchini sticks. Sprinkle with remaining vinegar and fresh pepper.

6. These can be served hot or at room temperature. Remove the garlic after 10 minutes if you want less garlic aroma. I leave it in…