Fried Zucchini Coins with spicy dipping sauce

Ingredients

1/2 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus for seasoning
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
Vegetable oil, for shallow frying
2 small zucchini, sliced into 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick coins

Directions

Line a dish with paper towels and set aside. Whisk the cornmeal, flour, basil, salt, cayenne, and pepper in a bowl.

Beat the eggs in another bowl.

Heat 1/4-inch vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking.

Working in small batches, toss the zucchini coins in the eggs, then coat in the cornmeal mixture to cover completely. Carefully drop the zucchini into the oil, and fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side or until crisp. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and place on the prepared plate. Season with salt, cool slightly and serve.

Recipe by Food network Kitchens, Photo by Laura Spear






The Neely's Spicy Dipping Sauce:

1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Dash hot sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce:
Add all the ingredients into a serving bowl and mix until incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap and let flavors marinate for at least 1 hour.

Recipe by the Neely's Food network, photo by Food network.