Summer is waning, and I almost escaped the annual onslaught of generous neighbors with too much zucchini. Silly me for doing something nice and getting a bag of squash as a thank you. This time of year, it’s often the big ones, too: ignored in the garden until they are approaching the size of a Mini Cooper. In the summer when zucchini are plentiful, some communities create special events around them, like zucchini car races or entire zucchini festivals. But most people don’t get excited about actually eating this deceptively simple summer vegetable. So let’s change that with some decidedly interesting recipes featuring zucchini.
How do you like yours: Sliced and sauteed? Stuffed and baked? Diced into a salad or stir-fry? Finely grated and hidden in a tea bread or moist cake? Zucchini is so inexpensive that it would be a shame not to use them in every way that appeals to you. Besides, they offer generous amounts of vitamins A, C and niacin. Store them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for no more than a few days.
Tangy chilled zucchini soup
A cool lunch for a hot day, this soup will keep for two to three days in the refrigerator. Make it early in the day or the night before. Recipe from “Skinny Soups” by Ruth Glick & Nancy Baggett; makes 4 or 5 servings.
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 cups zucchini, diced
1/2 cup potato, peeled and diced
3 cups chicken bouillon reconstituted from cubes or granules
2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon powdered mustard
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
Generous dash cayenne pepper
1/2 cup commercial buttermilk
1/2 cup whole milk or 2% milk
Salt to taste
Thin zucchini slices for garnish (optional)
In a medium saucepan, combine onion, garlic, zucchini, potato, bouillon, parsley, mustard, white pepper and cayenne; bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, lower heat and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until potato is tender; remove pan from heat. Cool mixture slightly. In batches, blend soup in blender on low speed for 10 seconds. Raise speed to high and puree until almost completely smooth but some parsley flecks remain. Transfer puree to medium glass or ceramic bowl. Stir in buttermilk and milk; cover and chill four to five hours. Taste soup; add salt if desired. Serve.
Zucchini, red pepper and tomato sauce with thyme and mint
Serve this ratatouille-like sauce on pasta or egg noodles. If you have one of those spiral vegetable gadgets, you can use up even more zucchini to make zucchini noodles, and serve a squash-centric dinner. Recipe from Cook’s Illustrated; makes enough to serve on one pound of dried pasta or noodles.
4 small zucchini (about 1 pound), cut into 1-inch-thick rounds, then sliced thin, lengthwise
5 tablespoons olive oil
2 large shallots, minced
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into medium dice
2 tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
2 teaspoons dried green peppercorns, crushed
Salt
2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and sliced thin
Bring two quarts water to boil in a large saucepan. Add zucchini; blanch for one minute, drain, then plunge into cold water. Heat three tablespoons oil over low heat. Add shallots and garlic and cook until soft. Increase heat to medium; add peppers and saute to soften slightly, two to three minutes. Stir in mint, thyme, peppercorns and salt to taste. Add tomatoes and zucchini; cook until tomatoes release their juice and thicken slightly, two to three minutes. Remove from heat; stir in remaining two tablespoons olive oil. Adjust seasoning. Toss immediately with cooked pasta and serve.
Minted zucchini patties
Bread crumbs and a little Parmesan cheese hold these little appetizers together. Serve them warm or at room temperature. Recipe from Food & Wine Books; makes about five dozen.
6 medium zucchini, coarsely grated
Salt to taste
1/2 medium white onion, minced
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for coating
1/4 cup plain dry bread crumbs
2 teaspoons fresh mint leaves, finely minced
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Vegetable oil
In a colander set over a bowl, toss zucchini with 1 tablespoon of salt. Set a plate directly on zucchini; weight it down with a heavy can. Let zucchini drain at least four hours at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator. Remove excess liquid by squeezing handfuls of the zucchini in a kitchen towel. Transfer zucchini to a bowl; stir in onion, Parmesan, flour, bread crumbs, mint and egg. Using moistened hands, roll scant tablespoons of batter into about 60 balls. Flatten balls to form 1 1/2-inch patties about 1/3-inch thick; coat lightly with flour. Heat 1/2 inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet until shimmering. Fry batches of patties over moderately high heat, turning once, until golden and crisp, about a minute and a half per side; lower heat if necessary. Transfer patties to paper towels as they are done cooking; keep warm while cooking remaining patties. Sprinkle with salt and serve.
Prawns wrapped in zucchini
John Ash, chef and author of “From the Earth to the Table,” prefers these grilled prawns with a red pepper aioli; serves eight as an appetizer or four as a main course.
16 medium prawns
Marinade:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon minced lemon zest
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large zucchini, sliced very thinly lengthwise to yield 16 slices
16 large basil leaves
16 bamboo skewers or rosemary branches, leaves removed
Shell and devein prawns, leaving tail intact. In a mixing bowl, whisk marinade ingredients together and toss with the prawns; marinate for one hour. Meanwhile, blanch zucchini slices in lightly salted boiling water for five seconds. Remove; immediately, and plunge into cold water. Drain, pat dry and set aside. Place a basil leaf on top of each prawn. Curl a zucchini slice around prawn, enclosing the basil leaf. Thread a bamboo skewer or rosemary branch through prawn and zucchini slice to hold in place. Grill or broil prawns about three minutes, turning once, until just done. Serve immediately with aioli or other condiment.