Here comes Zucchini

The vegetable so prolific, its name is plural.  What to do with all of it? How to do it so people are enchanted by plain old zucchini.  Try these easy, very tasty recipes.

Kolokithokeftedes

These zucchini fritters or pancakes if you prefer, may be my new favorite summer find. Nothing beats the heat like earthy Greek food and this recipe has the usual cooling suspects: mint, feta, lemon juice, yogurt--all working for zucchini. The recipe actually calls for deep frying the fritters but I've been baking them at high heat for a similar, less greasy effect, less messy and cooler in the kitchen. You can make them bite-sized to pass around with cocktails, slightly larger to go with baked fish, or lunch sized. You can serve hot or at room temperature. You serve them with Greek yogurt or better yet, tsatsiki.

2½ lbs zucchini, grated

1 red onion, grated

2 spring onions, finely chopped

2-3 tbsps fresh mint, finely chopped

2 eggs

1½ cup feta cheese, grated

salt and freshly ground pepper

2 cups fine breadcrumbs

2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsps parsley, finely chopped

oil for cooking

Use a grater to grate the zucchini and place them in a colander with some salt. Squeeze them with your hands to get rid of the excessive water. Leave them for 30 minutes and squeeze them again.

   Into a large bowl add the other ingredients and mix well with your hands, until combined and the mixture is firm enough to make balls or patties. Add breadcrumbs as needed.
    To fry: In a pan, add enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan, and heat the oil into medium-high heat.  Dip a tablespoon in some water and spoon out some of the mixture into the hot oil. Repeat this procedure until the surface off the pan is comfortably filled. You should dip the spoon in the water every time, so that the dough doesn’t stick on it. Fry the kolokithokeftedes for about 2-3 minutes on each side, until nicely colored. Place them on paper towel, to absorb the extra oil.

        A healthier alternative is to bake patties. Preheat the oven to 425º, oil the bottom of a baking tray and form patties with your hands. Place on the baking tray and brush the top with some olive oil. Bake for 10 minutes, then flip and bake another 10-15 until all patties are nicely brown. Serve hot or room temp with fresh cold yogurt or tsatsiki.

Moving into a more Spanish mode, with a recipe I published last year. It's great with roasted chicken or boiled lobster.

Zucchini flan

 

1 ½ pounds zucchini, thinly sliced

 Salt and pepper

4 eggs

2 ½ cups milk or half-and-half

 Pinch of grated nutmeg

1 tsp chopped thyme

 A few torn basil leaves

2 tbsp butter for greasing baking dish

4 oz grated cheese, such as Gruyère or Cheddar

Heat oven to 375º. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add zucchini and blanch for 1 minute. Drain and spread zucchini out to cool on a towel. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Beat eggs and milk with 1/2 tsp salt, then add nutmeg, thyme and basil leaves.

Butter a 2-quart low-sided baking dish, and arrange blanched zucchini over bottom. Scatter cheese over zucchini, then pour in custard.

Bake for 30 minutes or until custard is still a bit jiggly, but an inserted knife comes out clean. Cool to room temperature before serving.

From England

Spring/summer Vegetables with Lemon Bechamel

½ lb podded broad beans, fresh or frozen
1¾ lb baby blue and Yukon gold potatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper
2 leeks, cut in half lengthways, then into 1/2” pieces
7 small zucchini, cut in half lengthways
1 lb asparagus, woody ends trimmed
¼ lb sugar snap peas, cut in half lengthways
2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tsp tarragon leaves, roughly chopped
1 tbsp mint leaves, roughly shredded
For the lemon béchamel sauce
2 ½ tbsp unsalted butter
2 ½ tbsp flour
1½ c whole milk
2 egg yolks
3 strips shaved lemon skin, plus 2 tbsp lemon juice
¼ c Parmesan, finely grated

Start with the béchamel. Put butter and flour in a small saucepan on a medium-low heat. Stir for two to three minutes, until the butter has melted into the flour and the mixture comes together into a paste. Gradually add the milk to the roux, whisking continuously until smooth and combined, then add the egg yolks, lemon skin and 1/8 teaspoon of salt. Whisk six to seven minutes, until thick and smooth, then take off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and half of the Parmesan, and cover with Saran wrap. Make the film to touch the surface of the sauce so it prevents a skin from forming.

Heat the oven 425º. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil, and blanch the broad beans for a minute. Scoop out the beans with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl of cold water to stop them cooking. Add the potatoes to the boiling water and cook until the tip of a sharp knife goes in easily, then drain.

Drain and peel the beans. Put the potatoes in a large bowl and lightly crush them with the back of a spoon. Mix in two tablespoons of oil, a third of a teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper, and spread out on a large, high-sided roasting tray or ovenproof dish that you’re happy to bring to the table. Roast for 10 minutes, until just starting to brown.

Mix the leeks with a tablespoon of oil, 1/8 teaspoon of salt (a large pinch) and plenty of pepper. Stir through the potatoes and roast for five minutes. Mix the zucchini, asparagus, sugar snaps and garlic with a tablespoon of oil, ¼ teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper. Stir through the potatoes and leeks until everything is evenly distributed and roast for another five minutes.Sprinkle the broad beans over the top, spoon on the béchamel (discard the lemon skin at this stage) and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Roast for a final 10 minutes, until golden brown on top, sprinkle over the tarragon and mint, and serve at once.

 For a taste of India

Aloo Dum with Zucchini

(Serves 2)

2 ¼ lbs potatoes, diced,

2 tbsp oil,

2 fat cloves of garlic, finely chopped,

1 onion, sliced,

1 red chili, finely sliced, or pinch of dried,

½ tsp turmeric,

1 tsp cumin,

Pinch of salt,

1 lb chopped tomatoes,

1 large zucchini, thinly sliced

Few sprigs of fresh cilantro

Put the potatoes in a saucepan, cover with water, bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer until just starting to get soft. They should resist a fork slightly – you'll carry on cooking them later. Drain.

Heat oil in a large pan and add onion, garlic and potatoes. Add the spices and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes to soften the onions and crisp the edges of the potatoes.

Add zucchini, pour over the tomatoes and simmer for at least 15 minutes to allow the flavors to develop. Garnish with finely chopped cilantro. Add a dollop of plain yogurt if you want to cool it down. 

Mexican Zucchini Strata

 Here is a dream come true: a very tasty, inexpensive, unusual and easy way to use zucchini! The components of this surprisingly flavorful and rich dish, my version of a Diana Kennedy original, can be made ahead and assembled to bake just before you’re ready to eat.  It’s best fresh from the oven.

Serves 6-8

3 medium/lg zucchini (1½ lbs)

1½  tbsp corn meal

2½ tbsp butter

6 oz shredded cheese (Jack, Muenster or Mozzarella, like that) room temp.

3 large eggs, separated,

¼ tsp salt

4 Poblano peppers

1 medium onion

3-4 tbsp corn or olive oil

2 lg or 3 medium ripe tomatoes

2 garlic cloves

½ tsp sea salt

pinch of cinnamon

Heat oven to 350º. Use ½ tbsp butter to butter a 2-quart casserole dish. Sprinkle on the corn meal

Core and seed the Poblano peppers, then slice them into ½” wide strips that aren’t longer than 3”.

Slice the onion into the thinnest rings possible.

Heat the oil in a small covered skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add onions, lower heat slightly and cook without browning 3 minutes or until onions start to soften.  Add peppers and continue cooking another 3-4 minutes, shaking the pan from time to time so nothing sticks.

While this is happening, puree the raw tomatoes (skins on is okay) and garlic.

Add to the pepper pan with the sea salt and continue to cook over medium low heat about 15-20 minutes until the sauce is not watery. Cool as much as possible.

While this is happening, slice the zucchinis as thinly as you can. Put them in a pot of boiling salted water and cook until just tender, maybe 3-4 minutes. Do not get them soft or mushy. Drain well and cool as much as possible.

Whip the egg whites into very stiff peaks. Add ¼ tsp salt and then the egg yolks, one by one, beating to keep the whites stiff. 

Cut 2 tbsp butter into tiny bits.

To assemble the strata or layers:

Make an even layer of zucchini on top of the cornmeal.

Cover this with ½ the tomato pepper sauce.

Cover this with 2 oz, or 1/3, of the cheese.

Cover this with 1/3 of the beaten eggs.

Sprinkle a few butter bits on top.

Repeat this format one more time.

 For the third layer:

Make a layer of zucchini.

Cover this with the remaining egg mixture.

Sprinkle on the remaining butter bits.

Top with the remaining 2 0z cheese.

Sprinkle the top very very lightly with cinnamon.

Bake at 350º about 30 minutes until the eggs are set, the cheese is melted and the top is nicely browned.  Eat right away.

And finally, the all-American favorite that's easiest of all to make

Zucchini PIe

 serves 8

4 cups cubed zucchini (that's maybe 3 large zucchini)                             

1 sm onion, peeled and diced                     

4 large eggs                                                

1 tsp dried oregano leaves                          

¼ cup basil leaves, chopped                       

½ cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced

 ¼ tsp salt

 ½ cup corn oil

 1 cup Bisquick

1/8 tsp black pepper

 

Preheat oven to 350º.  Heavily butter or oil (olive oil is okay) a deep-dish 9” pie plate or square baking dish. Mix everything together in a large bowl and pour it into the greased pan. Bake one hour at 350, or less if using a convection oven.  Serve warm with roasted meat or grilled fish, or as a lunch entrée with crusty bread and a tomato salad. Can be reheated in a microwave.