Hamburger Hamlet’s Zucchini Zircles

Hamburger Hamlet was one of my favorite restaurants. My husband and I lived right near the Pasadena location, and we would eat at The Hamlet once a week.  The burgers, large steak fries, french onion soup, chicken dinner and the zucchini appetizer were some of our favorites on the menu.  I was excited to see Ree Drummond’s post of The Hamburger Hamlet Zucchini Zircles on her website.  As soon as my sister told me about the recipe, I made it that night.  The recipe is easy and delicious.  It’s exactly as I remember eating the Zucchini Zircles at The Hamlet.  I included the recipe for the apricot dipping sauce, but we always eat them with ranch dressing.  The Hamlet served this with both sauces.

Dipping sauce:
½ cup pineapple juice
1½ T. soy sauce
1½ T. dry mustard powder
1½ cup apricot preserves

Directions for Sauce:

Make the dipping sauce by mixing pineapple juice, soy sauce, and mustard powder in a blender. Pour it into a bowl and mix in the apricot preserves. Set aside (or make ahead of time and chill.)

Ingredients for Zucchini:
2 whole zucchini
½ cup flour
½ cup milk
1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
salt for sprinkling
1 quart vegetable oil, for frying

Directions for Zucchini:


To make the zucchini zircles, slice the zucchini into rounds about 1/3 of an inch thick. One at a time, bread them by dredging them in flour, dipping them in the milk, and coating them in the breadcrumbs. Set on a wire rack over a cookie sheet as you do the rest. 



To fry them, heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the zircles 3 to 4 at a time using tongs(Oil should sizzle and envelop the zircles.) 
Allow to fry for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until deep golden brown, then remove to a paper towel lined baking sheet. Repeat with the rest. Sprinkle with salt when they’re out of the oil.

Serve zucchini zircles with the apricot dipping sauce and also a side of each dressing.


Recipe from: www.thepioneerwoman.com

*From a Hamburger Hamlet recipe.