First, a few words…
I think most people who have gardens grow zucchini. They are incredibly easy to grow and produce a lot of fruit with very little care. However, I am sure everyone has come to the point where they cannot possibly make one more loaf of zucchini bread…so I am here to help with a few ideas to break you out of the rut!
Zucchini are incredibly versatile in the kitchen and can either be highlighted or hidden…used in soups, salads, casseroles, or baked goods. I am learning to enjoy my zucchini raw…diced in salads or spiralized in zoodle dishes. Likewise, in hot dishes I prefer my zucchini ‘al dente’…basically cooked but still firm and holding its’ shape. These recipes utilize zucchini in the ‘raw’ or ‘al dente’ form so younger, fresh zucchini are best!
I think zucchini can also get a bad rep because it is a very wet fruit, like a cucumber, and can easily make dishes watery. The key to success in any zucchini recipe is to prepare the zucchini ahead of time…spiralize it, spear it, slice it, dice it…and dry it out between clean towels. I use cloth towels…I have a special set that I only use for food, like draining whey from yogurt, that never get put in the wash and are only cleaned with hot water and vinegar.
So, let’s go! 1-2-3 Zucchini!
- ZOODLE SALAD WITH PISTACHIO PESTO, SAUTEED SHRIMP, AND TOMATOES
This is a wonderful light meal for a hot summer day, and I think would also be a crowd pleaser at any social gathering as it can be served cold or at room temperature.
Ingredients:
- zucchini, one medium, spiralized
- pesto (recipe at end)
- shrimp, raw, half pound of medium large (36/40) (or whatever you prefer)
- small tomatoes, halved or quartered pending size
- extra olive oil, basil, and parmesan cheese for finishing
a. As stated above, the first step will be to spiralize your zucchini (I used one medium) and dry it out in a towel for at least 30 minutes (I roll it up like I used to do with my towels when I had to go to swim class at the pool, with my suit in the middle).
b. While the zucchini is ‘resting,’ make the pesto (separate recipe below). As a ‘dressing’ I generally thin my pesto out with a little more oil and/or lemon juice so it covers the zoodles well. Toss the zoodles with the pesto and let sit.
c. Next, sauté the shrimp in 1-2 tablespoons butter in a skillet on medium heat. Let the butter melt and start to turn brown before adding the shrimp, then watch them closely, they cook fast. Lightly salt. Once the shrimp have turned from greyish-white to pink on the ‘down’ side, flip them over until they are pink on both sides and ‘firm’ to the touch. Turn off the heat (I leave them in the pan to stay warm while I finish the salad).
d. Slice a nice handful of small/grape/cherry tomatoes (I just don’t like to bite into them whole and have them squirt all over) and place the shrimp and tomatoes on top of the zoodles. Garnish with fresh basil and more grated parmesan. Enjoy!
NOTES: No need to add any meat, this can be left vegetarian, but if you are a carnivore any meat leftovers would go well with this dish, especially chicken. Also, no need to limit yourself to tomatoes…blanched broccoli would be a great addition, along with some grated carrot, or even olives…get creative! Toast up some crusty bread and you are there.
2. CHEESY CORN ZAZAGNE CASSEROLE
No, I don’t see ‘zazagne’ taking off, but bear with me for this recipe. I am combining a basic cheesy corn casserole recipe I started making last winter when I realized I had seriously been over-purchasing canned corn for the pantry with a lasagne-style preparation. I have expanded the original recipe to include more ‘add-ins’ and ‘toppings,’ because who doesn’t like more add-ins or toppings?
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 18 ounces corn (approximately, of any variety, canned, frozen, or grilled and cut off the cob)
- 1 medium zucchini cut into ‘zazagne’ strips or rounds
- 1 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
- Add-ins: 1 clove garlic (minced), 1 pepper (diced) (i.e. bell, poblano, or jalapeno), 2-3 green onions (diced), handful of small tomatoes (cut in half)
- Toppings: sour cream, avocado slices, chopped cilantro, lime wedges
- Pan: 8″ x 8″ square baking dish (or similar)
a. Prepare ‘zazagne’ ahead of time by slicing zucchini into as thin and as big of strips as you can safely manage to resemble lasagne noodles. If this sounds like too much, the zucchini can simply be sliced into thin rounds. Wrap it up in clean towels to dry. I generally do this in the morning, but give it at least 30 minutes.
b. Melt butter on medium heat in a sauce pan and sauté all ‘add-in’ vegetables you are using (except the tomatoes), corn, and salt for about 5 minutes. Turn heat down to low, add milk, and stir in cream cheese to melt. Remove from heat and sprinkle the flour over the top of the mixture and stir in. I have found the flour helps thicken the sauce (but this dish will never ‘set up’ like lasagne).
c. Spray or butter the bottom of the baking dish, then start layering up the casserole. Start with a layer of zucchini and top with half the hot cheese vegetable mixture and top with about 1/3 of the shredded cheese (yes, it is definitely OK to use more than 1 cup of shredded cheese. I am from Wisconsin…I can authorize excessive cheese usage). Continue with the second layer, then, as artistically as you care to be, arrange a few remaining zucchini slices on top with the remaining shredded cheese and sliced tomatoes.
d. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Let stand 10-15 minutes before scooping to serve (bowls…definitely bowls). Top and enjoy!
NOTES: This casserole is great as a re-heat and serve meal, or can be made ahead and put in the freezer: Just thaw to room temperature and cook as originally designed. To please the carnivores in your family, cooked bacon could be added to the casserole or sprinkled on top…same with cooked sausage. Personally, I would re-heat a bowl for breakfast and add a beautiful sunny-side up egg.
3. AIR FRIED ZUCCHINI CHEESE STICKS
I purchased an air fryer the other year for my children to make more healthy ‘fried’ foods…and do it more safely (what parent doesn’t stress about hot oil/grease in the kitchen! No thank you.). I do not use it often, but I tell you…wrap most anything in an egg roll wrapper and you have a tasty appetizer/side for a meal. Here’s how they did it:
Ingredients:
- egg roll wrappers (as many as you want to make)
- zucchini spears, cut and ‘dried’
- cheese, cut into sticks (I used pepper jack but mozzarella would be good too)
- olive or canola oil
a. place a zucchini spear and cheese stick on the egg roll wrapper and bundle up like the instructions say to on the package, moistening the last flap for a good seal. Brush all sides lightly with oil (you could probably also spray them with a cooking spray if you wanted)
b. pre-heat the air fryer to 400 degrees and add 4-5 ‘packages’ to the bin (give them good room so they crisp up properly) and bake for 5 minutes, flip, and bake for 5 more. Continue as necessary.
c. let cool and enjoy!
NOTES: The sticks seemed too crispy to me at first but I realized they were about perfect. Lower the heat a bit to 375 degrees if they seem too crispy for you. I actually ate a few leftover cold the next day and really enjoyed them. They could be served with pesto, ranch, bleu cheese, or marinara for dipping.
4. BASIC PESTO RECIPE
If you want inspiration to do pesto ‘old school’/correctly, watch the ‘Fat’ episode of Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat on Netflix (watch all the episodes anyway…they are amazing). After I watched this show I will only make my pesto in a mortar and pestle. If you are not into that, make it in a blender or food processor. This is the basic recipe from the NYT Cooking website.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves
- 2 Tablespoons pine nuts
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
a. Add basil, pine nuts, and garlic to a blender/food processor and pulse until finely minced.
b. While on low, drizzle in olive oil.
c. Add parmesan cheese and briefly process until combined. Taste and salt as necessary.
NOTES: I always add lemon juice to my pesto…I think it brightens the dish up…so you can try adding 1-2 Tablespoons of fresh squeezed juice. Also, for this simple recipe, quality of ingredients counts A LOT! I will substitute walnuts for pine nuts if I need to make pesto more economical and splurge on a good olive oil and parmesan cheese (not Kraft shreds in a bag…please…I beg you). For the Zoodle recipe above I used pistachios instead of pine nuts and added the lemon juice.
Cold Creek Farm 