Monday, July 25, 2011

Zucchini Recipes!

I am hearing reports from friends of an abundance of zucchini this year! It is so versatile, so here are some of my favorite zucchini recipes! And, thank you to Janet and Dylan for bringing me some from their own garden free of herbicides and pesticides!
Asparagus and Zucchini Crudi 


Ingredients 
• 2 zucchini, trimmed
• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 ounce shaved Pecorino Romano, for garnish

Directions
Using a vegetable peeler, shave the zucchini into long thin strips. Thinly slice the asparagus on a diagonal. Toss the slices together and place the salad in a serving bowl.

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and drizzle over the vegetables. Toss to coat. Garnish with the pecorino shavings. Serve.


Zucchini Finished in Vinegar 
Ingredients
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for frying, plus extra for seasoning
• 5 small zucchinis, thinly sliced
• Small bunch fresh mint, leaves picked and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, quartered
• Splash white wine vinegar
• Salt

Directions
Heat up extra-virgin olive oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed pan for frying. Gently place the zucchini in hot oil and fry until golden. Then place the zucchini on an absorbent paper towel to drain excess the oil. Allow to cool. Place the fried zucchini, mint leaves, and garlic into a bowl. Season the zucchini with fresh extra-virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, and salt. Mix well to coat evenly. Remove the quartered garlic cloves before serving.




Zucchini Ribbon Pasta 
Ingredients
• 3/4 pound whole-wheat fettuccini
• 2 medium green zucchini (about 1 pound)
• 2 medium yellow zucchini (about 1 pound)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup grated (1-ounce) Parmesan (lightly packed), plus 2 tablespoons
• 1/3 cup finely minced parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
• 1 cup thinly sliced basil leaves, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• Salt

Directions
In a large pasta pot, cook pasta "al dente", 1 or 2 minutes less than the package instructions call for. Drain.

Meanwhile, slice off ends of zucchini and discard. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise. Using a vegetable peeler, slice zucchini into long slices, or cut into very thin (about 1/8-inch) slices, keeping some skin on each piece for color. Stack slices and cut in half lengthwise. Reserve zucchini ribbons in a large bowl.

In the pasta pot, heat the olive oil over low-medium heat. Add garlic and cook until soft and translucent but not browned, about 1 minute. Add zucchini ribbons and 1/4 cup chicken broth, raise heat to medium-high and cook until zucchini is still somewhat firm but just cooked, about 3 minutes. Return pasta to pot and add remaining chicken stock; cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until liquid has mostly absorbed into the pasta. Add 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, parsley, basil, red pepper flakes, black pepper and toss to combine. Season with salt, to taste. Serve garnished with additional parsley, basil and the remaining 2 tablespoons of cheese.




Stuffed Zucchini and Red Bell Peppers
Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, grated
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano
• 1/4 cup dried plain bread crumbs
• 1 pound ground turkey, or lean ground beef
• 2 zucchini, ends removed, halved lengthwise and crosswise
• 1 short orange bell pepper, halved and seeded
• 1 short red bell pepper, halved and seeded
• 1 short yellow bell pepper, halved and seeded
• 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Lightly drizzle the olive oil into a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish. Whisk the onion, parsley, egg, ketchup, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl to blend. Stir in the cheese and bread crumbs. Mix in the turkey. Cover and refrigerate the turkey mixture.

Using a melon baller or spoon, carefully scrape out the seeds and inner flesh from the zucchini, leaving 1/8-inch-thick shells. Be careful not to pierce through the skin. Fill the zucchini and pepper halves with the turkey mixture, dividing equally and mounding slightly. Arrange the stuffed vegetables in the baking dish. Pour the marinara sauce over the stuffed vegetables.

Bake uncovered until the vegetables are tender and beginning to brown and a thermometer inserted into the filling registers 165 degrees F, about 45 minutes. Transfer the stuffed vegetables to a platter and serve. 




Insalata di Farro: Spelt Salad 

Ingredients
• 7 tablespoons/100 ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 14 ounces/400 g farro
• 6 cups/1.4 liters vegetable broth, plus extra for sauteing vegetables
• 1 red onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 zucchini, sliced
• 1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 eggplant, chopped
• 10 cherry tomatoes, halved
• Salt
• Bunch fresh parsley, leaves picked and finely chopped
• Small bunch fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
• Walnuts, toasted, for sprinkling


Directions 
In a saucepan, heat up 3 tablespoons olive oil; then add the garlic and farro. Cook the garlic until golden, allowing the farro to get toasted as well. Stir to prevent sticking. Add vegetable broth, a few ladles at a time as you would preparing risotto. Continue stirring and add more broth, a little at a time, as it evaporates. Cook until the farro is soft.

In another saucepan, heat up 4 tablespoons olive oil. Add the onion, zucchini, red pepper, eggplant, and then the tomatoes. Add the salt and cook until tender. If the pan is drying out, avoid adding more oil, just add some vegetable broth to help cook the vegetables. Once the vegetables are soft, remove from the heat and add to the farro. Then add the parsley and mint and mix well. Plate the dish, top with walnuts and drizzle with olive oil.

Garden Vegetable Crustless Quiche 
 Ingredients 
• 8 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded reduced-fat extrasharp cheddar cheese, divided
• 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup non-fat milk
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (about 2 1/4 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 (16-ounce) carton low-fat cottage cheese 


• Olive oil
• 4 cups sliced zucchini (about 4)
• 2 cups diced potato with onion (such as Simply Potatoes)
• 1 cup finely chopped green bell pepper (about 1)
• 1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tomatoes, thinly sliced


Directions
Preheat oven to 400°.

Beat eggs in a large bowl until pale yellow. Add 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, 3/4 cup Jack cheese, milk, flour, baking powder, salt, and cottage cheese.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. 1-2 Tbsp olive oil. Add zucchini and the next 3 ingredients (through mushrooms); sauté for 5 minutes or until tender. Add the zucchini mixture and parsley to egg mixture. Pour mixture into a greased 3-quart casserole dish coated. Top with the remaining 3/4 cup cheddar cheese and 3/4 cup Jack cheese. Arrange tomato slices over cheese. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350° (do not remove dish from oven), and bake for 35 minutes or until lightly browned and set.

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