Herbed Zucchini Pancakes

Makes 12- 14 pancakes

2 medium green zucchini, scrubbed and grated (2 cups)
2 medium golden zucchini, scrubbed and grated (2 cups)
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
4 large eggs
½ cup unbleached all –purpose flour
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup shredded Vermont cheddar cheese
¼ cup olive oil

The zucchini in these delicate pancakes are just a jumping off point for other vegetables additions, so feel free to add a handful of shredded carrots, parsnips or onions to the batter. Cooking will go much more quickly if you use two skillets or a large griddle.

Toss the zucchini in a colander with the salt. Let stand in a sink to draw out the juices, about 30 minutes. Rinse well with cold water. A handful at a time, squeeze out the excess moisture from the zucchini.
Position a rack in the center of the over and preheat to 200*
Beat the eggs in a medium bowl. Add the zucchini, flour, melted butter, basil, chives and pepper and mix well. Fold in the cheese.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Using ¼ cup for each pancake, drop the batter into the skillet, using a spatula to spread the thick batter into ½ inch thick pancakes. Cook, turning once, until the pancakes are golden brown, about 5 minutes on each side. Using a slotted spatula, transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm in the over while making the remaining pancakes. Serve hot with the savory green sauce.

Savory Green Sauce

This tangy sauce is exceptionally good and can be served with potatoes or zucchini pancakes, or put into service as a dip for crudités.
2 garlic cloves, peeled
½ cup yogurt or sour cream
1 teaspoon freshly grated horseradish root or use prepared horseradish
2 cups mixed cooking greens and herbs, such as a combination of fresh spinach, young kale or mustard greens.

Fit a food processor with the metal blade. With the machine running, drop the garlic through the feed tube to mince the garlic. Add the yogurt and horseradish and pulse to combine. Add the greens and process until the greens are pureed.