Crispy Zucchini Fries with a Parmesan Crust
·Cut the zucchini and beat the eggs
Cut the zucchini into cylinders about 6 cm long, then slice each one into small wedges. Season the eggs with salt and whisk well.
Make the crumb mixture
Stir chopped herbs into the breadcrumbs, season lightly with salt and add the grated parmesan. Don't over-salt the crumb, as parmesan is already quite salty on its own.
Double-coat the zucchini
Dip the zucchini pieces in egg, then in the crumb mixture, then back into the egg and crumbs again. Press the crumbs onto the zucchini so they stick as well as possible. Grease a baking tray with olive oil, arrange the zucchini fries on it and drizzle generously with more olive oil.
Bake and season at the end
Bake at 180°C for 25 minutes. Every oven is different, though, so really just bake until golden brown. Finish by seasoning the fries with coarse sea salt or Maldon salt and a good crack of pepper.
Tip: make a bigger batch
Whatever you don't finish can go in the fridge — just pop them in the oven or an air fryer for 4 minutes before serving and they'll turn crispy again.
Tip: about the mayonnaise
You can use a food processor, a hand mixer, or even a whisk by hand. The trick is whisking the oil into the yolks bit by bit. Two yolks will take in around 200 ml of oil (which is why it's such a calorie bomb). Separate the yolks carefully and add the oil very slowly.
Make the mayonnaise
Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Season the yolks with salt, add a teaspoon of mustard and the lemon juice, then slowly whisk in the oil until the mayonnaise thickens.
Add flavour
Stir a little yogurt or sour cream into the finished mayonnaise to lighten it up. Add chopped herbs, a splash of cachaça — Brazilian rum (or another lime-and-mint flavoured soft drink, or kombucha) — and some honey.
Season to finish
Add lime juice and lime zest (this gives the mayonnaise a lovely kick and aroma). Season with salt and pepper. Add liquids a little at a time so the mayonnaise doesn't end up too runny.