Fellow WFD'ers and Kossacks, I have a confession to make. Between last week's diary celebrating garden-fresh tomatoes and the prepping of this one I have a serious case of garden envy. You see, this condition strikes those who have previously enjoyed growing things, whether in a full garden plot or a patio container, and now find themselves in a circumstance where this is not possible. Receiving a gardening catalog in the mail can be a tear-inducing occurrence. Shopping in the produce aisle at the grocery store a bittersweet chore. Oh, how I wish for an overwhelmed neighbor to do a quick drop and run of a basket full of zukes or tomatoes! Alas, living in a motel this will most likely not occur. However, I realize that for many of you out there you are facing quite the opposite. An abundance of lovely green zucchini or perhaps it's counterpart yellow summer squash. So soldier on I must and please, think of me when you enjoy the fruits of your hard labor (or your neighbor's or your local CSA)!
Please join me below the fold for recipes and ideas.
Zucchini is one of those garden plants that take you by surprise. They can be teeny little fruits one day and then 2 days later are almost the size of a forearm. They produce abundantly and easily. Luckily they take well to many cooking applications. Grilled, sauteed, roasted, fried or baked they are full of summer flavor as well as healthy nutrients. Because they have a similar makeup to cucumbers they can be pickled (see below for a recipe) or chopped up and marinated in a relish. When you discover a particularly large specimen that may have been hiding from you it can be stuffed and baked. Even the flowers can be breaded and fried or stuffed to make fantastic dishes.
Here you have one of my favorite one dish meals that uses up various leftovers and stray veggies. Frittata is one of those dishes that you can create 1001 variations on depending on what you have on hand. A simple search for zucchini frittata will yield plenty of recipes. Here is an example of one I whipped up using some leftover ham:
Frittata with Ham, Mushrooms & Zucchini
1 cup of cooked chopped ham
1/2 cup of sliced white mushrooms
1 medium zucchini halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4" slices
1-2 tbslp of olive oil
6-8 large eggs lightly beaten
4-5 slices of Provolone cheese
Heat olive oil over medium heat in a medium to large frying pan and add mushrooms and zucchini. Season to taste with salt and pepper and saute until crisp-tender. Add in the ham and once heated lower heat to low-medium. Pour in eggs and shake pan gently or use a rubber spatula to distribute ingredients evenly in the pan. Let cook until eggs have set and bottom is starting to brown slightly. Top with slices of provolone cheese and if you have an oven-safe pan place under a preheated broiler until top has puffed up and cheese is melted or place a lid over the pan and let cook until eggs are completely set and cheese has melted on the stovetop.
The next two recipes are ones I created once again in a "use up leftovers from the fridge" mode. The fritters were an accompaniment to a soup I had made from some leftover roast pork and beans. The baked rice mix was an inspiration from a recipe I found in the Joy of Cooking.
Zucchini Rice & Goat Cheese Fritters
1 1/2 cups of cooked rice (leftover works great!)
1 medium zucchini grated coarsely
1/4 cup of fresh chopped parsely
2 finely sliced green onions
2 eggs slightly beaten
3.5 oz round of goat cheese w/roasted red peppers (plain is fine too)
1/2-3/4 cup of dried bread crumbs
4 tbsp Canola or vegetable oil for frying
Dump zucchini on a clean dry kitchen towel or double layer of paper towels and sprinkle liberally with salt. Let this sit for about 5 minutes then gather up inside the towel and squeeze as much liquid out as possible. Dump the rice, zucchini, parsely and green onion into a large mixing bowl. Crumble the goat cheese into the bowl and then add the eggs and 1/2 cup of bread crumbs. Gently combine the ingredients with your hands or a rubber spatula. Scoop up about 2 tblsp of the mixture and gently form into a rounded patty shape. Coat each patty in the remaining bread crumbs gently pressing the bread crumbs onto each side to adhere.
Heat the oil in a deep-sided frying pan and once it is hot but not smoking (about 350°) gently lay your fritters into the pan. Repeat until you have as many as will fit in your pan without overcrowding. As these fry up the goat cheese may ooze a bit and the oil may spatter so be careful and keep an eye on the heat. Turn carefully when golden brown to the other side. When done remove and drain on a paper towel lined plate. They will keep nice and warm until you have finished all of them and they are good hot or at room temp.
Cheesy Baked Rice with Zucchini, Corn, Onion and Peppers
1 cup of rice (uncooked)
6 eggs
1 medium zucchini diced
1 quarter of a red onion diced
1 can of corn drained well or equivalent of fresh corn sliced off the cob
1 red bell pepper seeded and diced
1 small jalapeño seeded and diced (optional)
Cook rice according to package directions depending on brand. While the rice is cooking saute the veggies in a bit of olive oil w/salt and pepper until just crisp-tender and remove to a large mixing bowl.
Preheat the oven to 425°
When the rice is done fluff and let cool a bit while you beat the 6 eggs and add a pinch of salt and pepper.
Grate about 2 cups of cheddar cheese and set aside about half a cup of that. Add the rest to the veggie mixture. Dump in the rice and toss well to combine. Add in the eggs and gently combine using a large spoon/rubber spatula. Grease a 9x9 or similar baking dish and dump in the mixture spreading it out evenly. Top with the reserved cheese and bake for about 30 minutes until mixture is set in the middle and cheese is melted and just starting to brown a bit. Let rest about 15 minutes then cut in large squares and serve w/dollop of sour cream.
The next recipe was featured in my RSS feed from Serious Eats. I clicked through to the source and thought it was such a simple yet lovely looking dish. You could easily make this for a party or potluck as a nice alternative to a salad and it's fancy enough for a foodie dinner party!
Zucchini Carpaccio with Feta and Pine Nuts
2 medium zucchini or other summer squash, ends trimmed and sliced into paper-thin rounds
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
4 teaspoons high-quality extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
3 tablespoons loosely packed fresh mint or chervil leaves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons pine nuts
Combine zucchini rounds and lemon zest in a medium bowl and toss to coat zucchini. Arrange zucchini on a platter, slightly overlapping the slices.
Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle remaining ingredients over zucchini and serve.
From Chow
Same with this one. Saw it in my feeds and I immediately started drooling!
Summer Squash and Ricotta Galette
Courtesy of Serious Eats
Photo by Blake Royer
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 10-ounce pie crust disc
1 large or 2 small summer squash (or zucchini), sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella
1 tablespoon slivered basil leaves
1 egg yolk beaten with 1 teaspoon water
- If you have the time, lay the squash slices out on a platter layered with paper towels and spinkle them with salt, leaving for 30 minutes to draw out moisture. This will make the galette less likely to become soggy. Blot them dry when finished.
- Whisk together the olive oil and garlic and set aside. In another bowl, mix together the ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella, and 1 teaspoon of the garlicky olive oil and season the mixture to taste with salt and pepper.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. On a floured surface, roll out the pie crust round until it's 12 inches round, then transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spoon the ricotta mixture onto the crust and spread it evenly, leaving a border of 2 inches. Lay the squash pieces in concentric circles, starting from the outside and working in. Drizzle the remaining garlicky olive oil over the squash and season with a pinch of salt. Fold the border up over the filling, then brush with the egg yolk glaze.
- Bake until the galette is puffy and golden, 30-40 minutes, then remove and sprinkle the basil leaves over it. Let stand for a few minutes, then slide onto a serving platter and serve.
Here is that promised pickle recipe thanks to Martha Stewart:
Judy's Zucchini Pickles
Makes about 2 pints
* 1 pound zucchini, washed, trimmed, and very thinly sliced
* 1 medium yellow onion, very thinly sliced
* 2 tablespoons fine sea salt
* 2 cups apple-cider vinegar
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
* 1 1/2 teaspoons slightly crushed yellow mustard seeds
* Scant 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
Directions
1. Combine zucchini and onion in a large shallow bowl. Add salt; toss to combine. Add a few ice cubes and enough cold water to cover, stirring until salt dissolves. Let stand, at room temperature, until zucchini are slightly salty and softened, about 1 hour.
2. Drain, removing any remaining ice cubes. Dry thoroughly between two towels, or spin, a few handfuls at a time, in a salad spinner (excess water will thin the flavor and spoil the pickle). Rinse and dry the bowl. Return the zucchini and onion to the dry bowl.
3. In a saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar, dry mustard, mustard seeds, and turmeric, over medium heat; simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and let stand until just warm to the touch.
4. Pour the cooled brine over the zucchin-and-onion mixture, stirring to combine. Transfer to sterilized jars. Cover, and refrigerate for 1 to 2 days before serving. Will keep for about 3 months, refrigerated, in an airtight container.
From Martha Stewart Living Television
I'm dying to try this one!
Zucchini Pesto
From Tasting Table
3 medium zucchini (about 1 pound)
2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup shredded basil
½ cup marcona almonds, toasted and finely chopped
1 tablespoon thyme leaves, chopped
½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Freshly ground black pepper
1 loaf ciabatta bread, cut into ¼-inch slices (about 12 slices)
- Using a box grater, coarsely grate the zucchini. Place the shredded zucchini in the middle of a clean kitchen towel and sprinkle with the 2 teaspoons of salt. Let sit for 5 minutes, then squeeze the towel to remove excess moisture. Repeat until as much liquid as possible has been released, then transfer the zucchini to a bowl.
- Add the garlic, basil, almonds, thyme, Parmigiano-Reggiano, lemon juice, lemon zest and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil to the zucchini; toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper and refrigerate for an hour.
- Just before serving, drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the bread and grill or broil the bread until toasted, then let cool.
- Top each slice of bread with about 3 tablespoons of the zucchini pesto and serve immediately.
Now I don't do a lot of baking but I have made zucchini bread following the recipe found in Joy of Cooking. I'm still working on getting my fiance's grandmother to share her recipe with me as he has such fond memories of hers. Maybe some of you have a prized family recipe you can share in the comments?
As always, thanks for joining us and please feel free to share in the comments what's for dinner at your place tonight!