Tag Archives: zucchini pasta

ZUCCHINI PASTA WITH CILANTRO-CASHEW PESTO

Posted in Side dishes, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by

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I won’t lie to you, making zucchini pasta with the spiral cutter is a task that requires patience (a virtue that I lack)  and probably one or two less than spectacular outcomes. By that I  mean overcooked zucchini that will lay as a limp mass on the plate and make you wonder if take-out sushi was that bad an idea after all. If you want to see the gadget I used in action (by someone who is a lot better than me at handling it), take a look at this youtube video.

Once you master the spiral cutter and how to deal with the zucchini strands, you will be on your way to a satisfying, flavorful and unique dish.  After butchering a few Cucurbita pepo, I was rewarded with a beautiful bowl of veggie strands.

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ZUCCHINI PASTA WITH CILANTRO-CASHEW PESTO
(adapted from Martyna’s recipe at Wholesome Cook)

for the pesto:
2 bunches fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1 Serrano chile, seeded and minced
¼ cup raw cashews
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup grape seed oil
½ tsp sea salt flakes
freshly ground black pepper to taste
zest of 1/2 lemon
squeeze of lemon juice

for the “pasta”:
enough zucchini to make a large bowl of strands
(save the collateral damaged ones for veggie stock, stir-fries, soups)

Make the pesto by adding the cilantro, chile, cashews, and cheese to the bowl of a food processor.  Process until a paste forms.  Add grape seed oil until you achieve a consistency you like. I tend to add a lot less oil than most recipes call for.  Adjust to your taste.   Process until smooth, season with salt, pepper, the lemon zest, and juice.  Process again. Reserve.

Cook the zucchini by placing the strands in boiling water for 20 seconds, drain well, incorporate with the pesto and serve.   Alternatively, you stir-fry the zucchini quickly in a small amount of olive oil, then mix with the pesto.

Sprinkle roasted cashews, and…

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

CashewPestoMy beloved mini-food processor did a great job on the pesto…

Comments:  On my first attempt at making zucchini “pasta”, I overcooked the strands, which is very easy to do.  The taste was still pretty good, but the poor zucchini looked almost gray.  No bueno.   This time, the 20-second blanching worked much better.  I might even cut the cooking shorter next time. You can sauce this dish any way you like, including a marinara sauce, which was on our menu the following week, by the way.  I still need to master the spiral cutter better, our kitchen looked like a crime scene when I was done, and zucchini bits were found on my hair later that evening.  That’s some wild cooking prep.  😉

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For those interested in gluten-free side dishes, or low carb pasta-like concoctions, this recipe fits the bill nicely.  For those who simply enjoy trying a new preparation for the under-appreciated zucchini, the same applies.

Zucchini Pasta with Cashew PestoA little shredded Asiago to gild the lily…

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PASTA WITH ZUCCHINI STRANDS AND SHRIMP

Posted in Pasta & Noodles, Seafood by

The pasta of my childhood was all about the sauce, either a heavy red sauce,  or an equally heavy white sauce, often loaded with cheese.  I loved them both, and I still make slightly lighter versions every once in a while.   But, over the past few years my taste buds gravitated more and more towards pasta with veggies.  Now the sauce plays a secondary role, formed in part  by a simple ladle of the pasta cooking water, full of  the starch released during cooking.

The possibilities for this kind of dish are nearly endless.  I’m fond of cutting zucchini to match long stranded pasta, like spaghetti or fettuccine.    This recipe, which I threw together in minutes the other day, is perfect for weeknights: quick, simple to make, not too heavy, but substantial enough to leave you satisfied and happy at the end of a busy day.

PASTA WITH ZUCCHINI STRANDS AND SHRIMP

served

(serves two, amounts are pretty flexible)

dried spaghetti, fettuccine or any long strand pasta
12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2-3 medium size zucchini
1 shallot, finely diced
1 T olive oil
1/2 ounce goat cheese, crumbled
lemon zest
salt and pepper

Place a large pot with water to boil.

Prepare the zucchini by cutting off both ends and using a mandolin or food processor to cut it lengthwise  into fine strands. Ideally, you want the dimensions of the zucchini to match the pasta, but don’t worry too much about it, just make sure to have long, even-sized strands.

When the water boils, add the pasta:   while it cooks, heat a little olive oil in a large saute pan, add the diced shallot, season lightly with salt, and cook for a couple of minutes in medium heat.  Add the shrimp and cook on both sides until opaque, do not overcook.  Remove the shrimp to a plate and add the zucchini to the pan, increasing the heat to high.  Season with a little salt and pepper, and when the zucchini cooks down return the shrimp to the pan.  Cook it together with the zucchini for a minute.

When the pasta is cooked al dente, remove 1/2 cup of the cooking water and set aside;  drain the pasta and add it to the zucchini/shrimp mixture.  Add some of the pasta water to get the consistency you like, immediately sprinkle the goat cheese and mix everything gently to allow the cheese to slowly melt and incorporate into the dish.  Right before serving sprinkle lemon zest on top of the pasta, and adjust seasoning if necessary.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Zucchini strands or ribbons are a busy cook’s best friends!  If you have a food processor, it takes just seconds to cut, but if you prefer not to deal with washing the processor, a mandolin or a box grater, which is what I used, works well too.

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The amounts are flexible:  the higher the proportion of zucchini, the lighter the dish will be.  It’s is a wonderful way of “stretching” the pasta, by shaving off some calories without compromising flavor.

I like the combination of goat cheese with zucchini and shrimp.   Some people find that seafood and cheese don’t go well together, but in this case I beg to differ.

You can make many variations on this basic dish – omit the shrimp, add black olives, sun dried tomatoes, fresh herbs such as oregano, mint, or basil.  Zucchini is very “social”, enjoys playing with all sorts of flavors, so let’s profit from it  😉

para receita em portugues, siga ate’ a proxima pagina….

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