ZUCCHINI “HUMMUS”

Posted in Appetizers by sallybr

Once more I shall commit the sin of stretching the name of my favorite dip, traditionally made with garbanzo beans, tahini, and very few other additions. I think zucchini is one of the most versatile veggies, and this dip proves the point. Plus, it is delicious! I originally saw it at Angie’s blog Divalicious Recipes in the City, and tweaked her recipe ever so slightly. Angie has a ton of creative recipes in her site, I actually linked one of her cauliflower concoctions in a recent post, and intend to make it soon. As far as this dip goes, you should definitely play with the amount of tahini, lemon juice, and feel free to even add some garbanzo beans in case you want to get one step closer to the title of the dish. 😉

ZUCCHINI HUMMUS
(slightly adapted from Divalicious)

2 medium zucchini
1/4 cup tahini
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove of garlic (optional)
1/4 cup lemon juice
zest of half lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.

Taste and adjust the seasonings. I like to sprinkle a little smoked paprika on top of the dip before serving, but that is totally optional, of course! Ak-Mak crackers are the perfect carrier for this dip.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

We had a pizza party the other day. My favorite type of get-together, in which I make plenty of balls of dough, and we take turns adding all sorts of toppings, some will be vegetarian-friendly, some loaded with meat, according to the mood of the moment. The house is kept cool because we grill the pizzas outside. In this type of event, appetizers must be light, and for obvious reasons, cheese is out. Who wants to load up on cheese before facing a pizza dinner? I prefer to serve hummus, either the traditional version or some variation, like my edamame hummus of the past. This version with zucchini turned out super light and flavorful, a perfect option for our evening.

If you are a zucchini-lover, don’t skip this one. Winner!

ONE YEAR AGO: In My Kitchen – October 2013

TWO YEARS AGO: Bourbon and Molasses Glazed Pork Tenderloin

THREE YEARS AGO: Crimson and Cream Turkey Chili

FOUR YEARS AGO: Taking a break from the nano-kitchen

FIVE YEARS AGO: Chocolate Chip Cookies

31Jan2014

ZUCCHINI PASTA WITH CILANTRO-CASHEW PESTO

Posted in Side dishes, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

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.

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

My 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. 😉

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.

A little shredded Asiago to gild the lily…

ONE YEAR AGO: Bran Muffins, Take Two

TWO YEARS AGO: Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

THREE YEARS AGO: Mogo Mojo

FOUR YEARS AGO: Slow-Roasted Chicken Thighs: an Ice-Breaker

6Aug2013

SAUTEED ZUCCHINI WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES AND BASIL

Posted in Side dishes, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

I’m always trying to find different ways to prepare zucchini, as we both love it so much. One of my favorite recipes is a simple stir-fry like this one, but the timing (and the size of your pan) must be just right, as a slight variation will result in overcooked, limp zucchini, with no bite whatsoever. This recipe from Fine Cooking follows a totally different path to the stir-fry happy-ending. Pieces of zucchini are lightly salted and sit for 10 minutes, a process that will draw out a lot of moisture and the bitterness that might turn some people off. After that, you will be on your way to a tasty side dish.

SAUTEED ZUCCHINI WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES AND BASIL
(adapted from Fine Cooking magazine #65)

2 medium zucchini
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt + more for seasoning
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, smashed and peeled
3 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely diced
6 fresh basil leaves, torn into large pieces
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 lemon, juiced

Wash the zucchini and dry them with paper towels. Trim off the ends and quarter the zucchini lengthwise. Arrange the zucchini, cut side up, on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with the salt and set aside for 10 minutes. Blot the quarters dry with the paper towels. Cut each quarter on the diagonal into 3/4-inch-thick pieces.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Pour in 2 Tbs. of the oil. When the oil is hot, add the zucchini and garlic, and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini browns and softens enough that you can cut through it with the side of a fork, about 5 min. Take the pan off the heat, toss in the sun-dried tomatoes and basil, and season generously with salt and pepper. Drizzle with the lemon juice and serve immediately.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I have a bit of a troubled relationship with sun-dried tomatoes. The ones that come packed in oil are often too greasy for my taste, but their texture is much better than the dry-packed ones. My approach is to buy the ones in oil, and before incorporating in the dish let them rest on a piece of kitchen paper to blot the excess oil away.

Fresh tomatoes would not deliver the same punch of flavor. Sun-dried tomatoes are similar to red pepper flakes, instead of having their flavor uniformly diluted across the dish, they give you little spikes of heat. Perfect!

This was a delicious way to prepare zucchini, yet another recipe that can be adapted in many ways. Try adding roasted red bell pepper in place of sun-dried tomatoes, cilantro instead of basil, a bit of mint… Don’t omit the lemon juice, though. It is a must!

ONE YEAR AGO: Orzo with Heirloom Tomato Relish

TWO YEARS AGO: Headed to Brazil!

THREE YEARS AGO: The Rhubarb Brouhaha: Revelation Compote

FOUR YEARS AGO: Love me tender…

8Dec2012

EIGHT-BALL ZUCCHINI: THE MISSING FILES

Posted in Veggies by sallybr

I made this dish several months ago (we were still living in OK) but the photos were temporarily misplaced. Misplaced as in “downloaded to the wrong folder”. I stumbled upon them the other day by complete accident, while searching for a figure to include in a power point presentation. Amazing how efficiently I can mess up stuff sometimes. For those headed into the cooler months, finding eight-ball zucchini could be a stretch, but my readers in the Southern hemisphere will be able to try this recipe sooner… It is delicious!

EIGHT BALL ZUCCHINI FILLED WITH COUSCOUS AND RICOTTA CHEESE
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

2 eight-ball zucchini
1 medium regular zucchini, cut in small dice
1 Tbs grapeseed oil (or olive oil)
1 shallot, finely diced
salt and pepper
1/2 cup Israeli couscous
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Cut the top off of the round zucchini, and carefully coop out the inside, leaving a 1/4 inch wall around to contain the filling later. Reserve the pulp. Place the zucchini on a steamer basket and steam for 10 minutes, checking after 5 minutes to make sure it’s not getting too soft. Remove from the steamer and let it cool briefly. Meanwhile, prepare the stuffing: saute the shallots in grapeseed or olive oil until translucent. Add the reserved pulp of the eight ball zucchini, and the diced regular zucchini. Saute until soft and fragrant, season with salt and pepper. Reserve.

Cook the Israeli couscous in plenty of salted, boiling water. Drain it a couple of minutes before the time stated in the package, as it will cook further during baking. Reserve.

Heat the oven to 375 F. Mix the sautéed zucchini with the couscous, ricotta cheese, and dried cranberries. Adjust seasoning with a little more salt and pepper, if needed. Generously fill the hollowed eight-ball zucchini all the way to the top and rest the cap on. You may have leftover filling, depending on the size of your zucchini. Place the zucchini in a baking dish, cover lightly with foil, and bake for 35 to 30 minutes.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I’ve made stuffed zucchini many times, but most recipes omit the steaming, and ask you to simply fill it and bake it. When I make it that way, the zucchini never gets tender. I also tried microwaving to simplify life a little, but steaming works best. I know, I know, it’s an extra step and a couple more items to wash, but sometimes in the name of a nice dish sacrifices must be made. So I put on my Braveheart face, and steam it.

I’ve used quinoa in place of couscous, and it results (of course) in a lighter dish, but very tasty too. You can use rice, orzo, barley, farro, anything stuffed inside an eight-ball zucchini will immediately seem healthy and light. Stuffing with lasagna might be a stretch, though! 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: Grilling Ribbons

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18May2012

FARFALLE WITH ZUCCHINI AND RICOTTA

Posted in Pasta & Noodles, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

Last week, after one particularly hectic day in the lab, I had no desire to stop at the grocery store on my way home. Instead, I improvised, using a few things in the fridge leftover from past culinary adventures: one reasonably large zucchini, half a container of ricotta cheese, and a Meyer lemon abandoned inside the fruit drawer.

FARFALLE WITH ZUCCHINI AND RICOTTA
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

farfalle pasta (or other favorite shape, enough for two)
1 Tbs olive oil
1 shallot, finely diced
1 large zuchinni, ends removed, shredded
zest of half a Meyer lemon
juice of Meyer lemon
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
salt
coarsely ground black pepper to taste (don’t be shy!)

Cook the pasta according to the package instructions.

Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan, add the shallot, season with salt, and cook until translucent. Increase the heat to high, and add the zucchini in a single layer. Do not touch it, allow it to cook undisturbed for a couple of minutes. Add the lemon zest, and stir the zucchini around. Add the black pepper, the ricotta cheese, stirring gently to form a sauce. Add the lemon juice, keep warm until the pasta is cooked al dente.

Add the cooked pasta to the skillet, reserving some of the cooking water. If necessary, add some of it to the farfalle/zucchini mixture. Heat everything together in low heat for a minute. Serve, with the optional grating of good parmigiano-reggiano on top.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I love zucchini and ricotta cheese together (and a Meyer lemon will always be welcome), but I must say what really made this dish was…. the cracked black pepper! Italians know a thing or two about cooking, and their “cacio e pepe” pasta is a classic for excellent reasons. This dish reminded me of it, even with the other components fighting for attention with the “Piper nigrum“. 😉

Use as much pepper as you’ll be able to enjoy, and keep it on the coarse side. The little bits of peppery heat will make this simple meal quite special.

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