What's In Your Fridge?

When I opened my refrigerator to assess today's side dish situation, I was greeted by one small zucchini and a tiny jar of pesto. A container of sour cream was perched on the top shelf and a single lonely egg sat quietly in the carton. Certainly there was a recipe hidden in these rogue ingredients... but what could it be? I opened my cupboard to find italian breadcrumbs and instantly the proverbial lightbulb clicked on - zucchini cakes! I grated the zucchini into a bowl and mixed in the egg white, a spoonful of pesto and about 3/4 of a cup of breadcrumbs. I warmed a skillet to medium heat and made one pass around it with some olive oil. I infused the oil with a clove of garlic and spooned in the zucchini mixture. As it sizzled in the pan, I watched for the edges to brown and then turned each patty like a pancake. Once they were crisp and golden brown, I removed them from the pan and sat each cake on a paper towel to draw out any excess oil. I served them as a pair with a healthy dollop of sour cream and the result was absolutely delightful. The subtle hint of garlic, the herby flavor of the pesto and the crunchy texture really made these veggie cakes quite delectable. With a little creativity, there is always a recipe waiting to be found.