Zucchini bumper crop

[Chris Amirault]

Bumping this up as our CSA is delivering summer squash by the suitcase. Any new tips? How about for those of us who seek to reduce the level of moisture in the little beasties?

[little ms foodie]

I just printed off this recipe this morning from epicurious

Zucchini Melon Salad

[Aileen]

Reading this thread is making me hungry - I absolutely adore zucchini! I wasn't coordinated enough this spring to get my garden going. Anyone in Northern Colorado have some zucchini they want to get rid of? I'll gladly take them!

[jamiemaw]

Something in this theme works well

1/4 lb shallots, thinly sliced crosswise (1 cup)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 lb zucchini (3 to 4 medium), peeled and halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices

2 (2- by 1 1/2-inch) strips fresh lemon zest

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 3/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (14 fl oz)

1 3/4 cups water

1 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill

1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk or plain yogurt

Garnish: thinly sliced or torn zucchini blossoms

Cook shallots in oil in a 4-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add zucchini, zest, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until zucchini is softened, about 5 minutes. Add broth and water and simmer until zucchini is tender, about 3 minutes.

Purée zucchini mixture, including zest, along with parsley and dill in a blender (in 2 batches if necessary) until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Transfer to a metal bowl, then set bowl into a larger bowl of ice and cold water (to quick-chill). Cool, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.

Stir in buttermilk and season with salt.

We've also noticed that zucchini works well with curry spicing. So add your favourite cuury blend to sliced, sauteed zukes and onion, then blend with chicken stock and some lemon juice and pepper.

Edited July 27, 2005 by jamiemaw (log)

[ivan]

I heartily second or third or fourth the ratatouille endorsements.

But even more heartily I urge you to grill the squash over lump hardwood charcoal, preferably mesquite. Cut the squash lengthwise into quarter to half inch thick slices, coat in olive oil, place over very hot fire, cook until flopsy and good-looking. Season with lots of salt and pepper. Serve immediately with more olive oil and whatever vinegar tastes good to you drizzled over. Refridgerate and use later as a pizza topping, or sandwich filling, or risotto ingredient. Grilled summer squashes of all kinds are one of the things I most look forward to as the summer months roll around.

[purplewiz]

Grilled.

I cut a small one in half crosswise, then each half into 4 sticks lengthwise. Coat lightly with olive oil. Grill over high heat until just softening. Remove from grill and toss with seasoned salt, garlic salt, Penzey's Sandwich Sprinkle (my favorite) or any other herb blend and a little salt.

Like fried zucchini, I have yet to serve this to anyone who didn't like it. And you can go through a lot of zucchini fast - plan on at least one small one per person.

Marcia.

[Chris Amirault]

Thanks for the tips, folks.

Last night, I made a very non-traditional yet tasty shrimp with black bean sauce using the zucchini. I cut 'em up in irregular chunks, stir-fried them in my increasingly wonderful wok (the wok hei is great right now) with very little oil and some garlic and ginger, and then added shrimp, spring onions, shaoxing, etc. The extra moisture from the zucchini added body to the sauce, and the slight char on the pieces was a nice fit with the beans.

[KatieLoeb]

I've been enjpying a bounty of the following lately:

Chilled Zucchini Soup

3 large zucchini

1 cup lowfat sour cream

12 oz. vegetable broth or 1 can chicken broth

Roasted ground cumin, to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Cut zucchini into 1/8 inch thick coins and steam above 1/2 inch boiling water until very soft. Place cooked zucchini, steaming water, broth and sour cream into blender container and puree. Add cumin and salt and pepper to taste. Chill and serve.

This is absolutely delicious and virtually effortless. And it might qualify as "negative calorie" food, since it's mostly fiber and water or broth. Very refreshing on a hot summer night.

[jamiemaw]

We were at a truck market east of Vancouver--in a small community called Vernon. One farmer had painstakingly labelled each and every zuke piled high in his pick-up box with individual masking tape price stickers: 15¢, 25¢, 35¢.

I'm sure it had kept him and his wife up all night.

But there in the back was the trophy squash, a zucchini from the back of the patch that had clearly gotten away on them. It was the size of a fungo bat and its label simply said--"Offers".

[goldie]

I can't wait for my zucchini to come in.

My favorite way to eat it is to slice it very thinly length-wise, salt it, and let it drain for half an hour. Rinse off and pat dry. Mix up a lemon and olive oil vinagrette with plany of salt and pepper. Pour over the slices and top with parmesan.

I second (or third) the zucchini pickles. I got my origional recipe from Cooking Thin with Chef Kathleen, but in a nutshell salt the zucchini rounds and a vidalia onion and put on ice, meanwhile bring to a boil sugar, cider vinegar(1:1), a few whole, peeled garlic cloves, pickling spice, red pepper flakes, and tumeric (not a lot). Let cool and pour over rinsed veggies. Put in fridge to chill.

I made a zucchini souffle for breakfast that was pretty good. Unfortunately I didn't write down the recipe- it just happened. I remember egg whites beaten to peaks, leftover parmesan white sauce (to which I undoubtably added the egg yolks because I hate waste), shredded zucchini that had been well drained, quick cooked, and patted dry. I think I just did it like a souffle. I do remember serving it with fresh tomato which my family thought was odd.

[daniellewiley]

At the Heartland gathering two weeks ago, we had a wonderful zucchini dish. Carmelized zucchini puree stuffed into zucchini blossoms and fried tempura-style.

The zucchini was blanched whole, then cut in half lengthwise. The seeds were scooped out and discarded, and the zucchini was chopped into a small dice.

This was placed in a large saucepan with sesame oil and soy ( I think - FatGuy was a bit evasive. ) and plenty of butter.

It was cooked for a LOOOONG time until it was a carmelized puree.

It was then stuffed in the blossoms which were tempura-battered and quickly fried.

These were AMAZING.

[johnnyd]

Living in Vermont had it's high points, like not having to lock your car, except when the zuchinis start coming out: If you didn't lock your car in August, you can bet on a pile of 'em appearing mysteriously in the back seat.

[Rachel Perlow]

OK, the annonymous depositing of zucchini in cars, on porches, etc. Does this really happen or is it an urban legend?

I know I've given some of my neighbors some of my surplus cucumbers and basil, but I've also included a note with my name, address & phone number (for the couple of neighbors I didn't actually know by name), as well as a note that if they want any more to please call (and a list of other herbs, etc. I'm growing). Everyone's been very happy to receive my excess bounty (lovely thank you calls).

Seriously, anyone in northern NJ have too many zucchini? I'll take some. I feel so stupid for not growing any this year, since my garden is doing so well (I've got at least 6 cantaloupes well beyond the golf ball size).

[johnnyd]

Rachel,

It started as a joke in Burlington one year. A few years passed and I overheard two women in the parking lot cursing a blue streak. As I passed I glanced over to them and one was going "You should know better... you have to LOCK your car during Zuchini season!" They noticed me, grabbed a paper bag from the back seat and started to move towards me. I broke into a run. I'm NOT JOKING here! Believe it! It's a jungle out there!!!

[jackal10]

Thayts why I grow mine next to the compost heap. Saves taking them to the kitchen and waiting for them to go mouldy

[curlywurlyfi]

- cut them into chunks and roast them with olive oil, rosemary + quartered lemons (discard lemon before serving or you can be sure one of your guests will eat a lemon quarter - yuck)

- short batons, stir fry with garlic till brown + caramelized, great with fish

- short batons, stir fry with garlic, add prawns, coconut milk + Thai spicing for quick 'Thai' soup

- grate + fry in olive oil, then stir in plain yoghurt, chopped parsley or basil, maybe some garlic, serve warm

- make mashed potato with a little saffron in the milk, meanwhile fry grated courgette in butter + garlic, stir into potato

- cut into 'coins', steam, toss with soy sauce, ginger, red chilli flakes, chopped fresh coriander, serve with white rice

[chromedome]

This is why I don't grow zucchini myself! During the appropriate season, I just walk out to the street close my eyes, hold out my hand, and wait for someone to hand me some...

Ok, that was a joke.

I didn't plant any this year because of my limited garden space and my limited appreciation for zucchini. I've found that I do love the blossoms, though, and I do like the baby ones (about the size of a large dill pickle) much more than the bigger ones.

As for uses, any good mid-East/Med cookbook will include numerous recipes for zucchini, or eggplant recipes in which it may reasonably be substituted. Stuffed with various combinations of fruits/meats/grains/vegetables, poached/simmered/baked/braised, take your pick. Or grilled and coarsely chopped in various salads and mezze/maza/tapas.

Next year, in my (hopefully) expanded garden, I'll probably plant a vine or two of zucchini for the sake of the blossoms and babies. I'll also be attempting eggplants for the first time, and will be increasing my tomatoes sharply (only three this year).

[heidih]

We are just hitting July, so it is not bumper crop time yet, but they are coming fast. I only planted 1 green zucchini and 2 yellow crookneck. Plus they are in shallow raised bed gardens so the root system is limited. I have vowed to throw none away. Most of my family and neighbors have at least one plant of their own so it is all on me. I have been vigilant about checking the plants every day or so because those suckers can just explode in size hiding under a big leaf.

Today the harvest is going into corn bread. Standard corn bread recipe off the box (ok- you caught me I am using a Jif box), grated squash to equal about two cups, a few extra beaten egg whites, some roasted onion and garlic, handful basil and parsley, and a bit of shredded asiago cheese. The squash are young and thus not overly wet so I do not squeeze them. They will provide all the moisture for the recipe. Some corn kernels get added as well. I like it with the fire roasted corn kernels from Trader Joe's but since fresh corn has come in I am just cutting it off the cob. I bake it in a half size aluminum steam pan (about 8 x 11) so it is quite thin. Great with garden salsa.

[lesfen]

The first few weeks are always great, aren't they? Zucchini pancakes/fritters and fried zucchini are favorites around here. When the honeymoon phase has passed, I shred it almost as soon as it comes in the door, bag it, and throw it in the freezer. Then I sneak it into almost everything... pasta sauce, meatloaf, meatballs, soups, etc. It's nice to have a bag around for muffins and bread at a later date too... you know, when it's cool and you can actually use your oven!

[Emily_R]

This recipe is my new hands-down favorite way of using zukes. My only change is to up the arugula. In fact, just got some arugula at the market this morning so I can make this salad tonight!

http://www.formerchef.com/2010/06/21/zucchini-and-arugula-salad-with-lemon-anchovy-dressing/

[nikkib]

one of my favourite courgette (sorry cannot get my head around zucchini!) dishes that i dont think has been mentioned yet is where i boil a whole courgette for around 6-8 minutes and then scoop out 1/2 of the insides. I then sautee the scooped out insides with a peeled deseeded tomato, a chopped chilli and some chopped onion with cayenne and smoked paprika and then return it to the rest of the courgette with some defrosted atlantic prawns that i keep in the freezer. I make a cheese sauce, pour it over the top and oven bake for around 20 minutes before finishing under the grill. Served with some crusty bread it is the perfect supper...

I also sautee it briefly with chilli, add spinach and the zest of a lemon with 1/2 the juice and wilt the spinach very quickly. Served with fish dishes ( especially a salmon wrapped in filo with lime zest and coriander) it is delicious....

[djyee100]

The staff of my CSA and I have a long-standing joke about my "zucchini issues" (their phrase). Every summer they deliver bags of the stuff to me and then I have to find a way to make the vegetable palatable to my taste. As a result, I have a gigantic repertoire of zucchini recipes, dozens and dozens of recipes that I have tried over the years, of which I like maybe two. OK, maybe three. These are the three.

Now this omelette actually tastes good (uses up leftover rice too), & I will serve it for a light dinner.

Baked Greek Omelette With Summer Squash

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 onion, diced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 zucchini or other summer squash, shredded (approx 2 cups)

8 eggs

1/2 cup diced tomato

3 tablespoons freshly chopped mint

2 tablespoons freshly chopped dill

4 oz feta cheese, crumbled

1/2 cup cooked rice

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Generously oil a 9 X 9 inch baking dish.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a 10-inch skillet. Add the garlic and onion, lower the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the mixture from the pan. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan, add the shredded squash, and cook over medium heat until soft, about 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool slightly.

In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add the garlic, onion, squash, tomato, mint, dill, feta cheese, and rice. Combine well. Pour the mixture into the greased baking dish. Bake until lightly golden and set, about 40-45 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

This recipe is my variation of a recipe in Joanne Weir's From Tapas to Meze.

Next...

This soup tastes good with very fresh summer squash. Squash from your garden would be perfect. You can taste the delicate sweetness in the squash. My CSA printed my recipe in their newsletter--twice--in succeeding years. My adaptation of a recipe I found online, somewhere, years ago.

Chilled Summer Squash Soup

2 tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 cups chopped leeks, white and pale green parts only, well washed

3/4 cup chopped onion

1 tbsp chopped garlic

1 russet potato, approx 1/2 lb

1 1/2 lb summer squash*, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds

3 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1/3 cup cream

2 to 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, or more to taste

salt

white pepper

ice water for thinning soup

lemon slices for garnish (optional)

In a large saucepan, heat oil and cook leeks, onion, and garlic over moderately low heat until soft and translucent. Peel potato and cut into 1-inch pieces. Add potato, squash, and broth to leek mixture. Cover and simmer for approx 15 minutes until potato is very tender.

In a blender, puree mixture until very smooth. Transfer puree to a bowl. Stir in cream and lemon juice. Add salt and white pepper. Thin soup with water if the texture is too thick.

Chill soup well, preferably overnight. Before serving, taste for seasoning and add more salt, white pepper, and/or lemon juice if you like. If necessary, thin soup with ice water. Garnish soup with lemon slices, if desired.

* You can make this soup with any kind of summer squash, including zucchini.

And finally...

I made these refrigerator pickles for my CSA's potluck, & people liked them.

Hot and Sweet Zucchini Pickles

1 to 1 1/2 lbs zucchini, ends trimmed and sliced into 1/8" rounds

2 red or other sweet onions, thinly sliced

2 or 3 jalapeno chiles, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons kosher salt

1 cup seedless grapes or golden raisins

2 3/4 cups distilled white vinegar

3/4 cup sherry

1 1/2 cups orange juice

2 cups sugar

2 tablespoons curry powder

3/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon whole allspice berries

scant 1 teaspoon whole cloves

3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

2" piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and thinly sliced

In a large nonreactive bowl (i.e., not cast iron or aluminum) combine zucchini, onions, chiles, and salt. Let stand for 1 hour. Drain and rinse well to remove salt. Add grapes or raisins and set aside.

In a medium nonreactive saucepan, bring all remaining ingredients--EXCEPT the ginger--to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

Pour the hot liquid over the vegetable mixture. The vegetables should be well covered or slightly afloat. Add the ginger slices. Allow pickle mixture to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate.

The pickles are ready to eat after 2 hours of refrigeration. They keep well, refrigerated, for up to 4 weeks.

My adaptation of a recipe in Quick Pickles cookbook by Chris Schlesinger.

[LizD518]

I don't think anyone in this thread has mentioned just simply slicing it thinly and tossing in some good olive oil, a squeeze of lemon & salt & pepper to taste. I find it really refreshing and delicious in the summer heat.

[heidih]

I found this post in the meatball topic and will be giving it a go. I wonder if frozen grated squash will work during the off season.

I once heard that grated zucchini lightens up meatballs and, once I tried it, I've never gone back. You can't pick out the flavor in the finished meatball but it lends an ethereal, cloud like lightness to it.

[cathyeats]

I had the same problem - too much zucchini! I made up this zucchini pasta recipe and I have to say, it was one of the best pasta dishes I've ever devised. It seems so simple, but the combination of the lemon, zucchini and bread crumbs is fantastic.

Pasta with Zucchini, Chickpeas and Gremolata Breadcrumbs

2 T. + 2 t. extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

4 cloves garlic, divided

1 cup freshly made breadcrumbs from good-quality whole wheat or other bread

Grated zest of one lemon

2-3 T. chopped flat-leaf parsley

3 medium zucchini (I used one small and one huge), sliced lengthwise and then thinly sliced into half-moons

½ t. crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste

Juice of ½ lemon

1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained

½ t. salt

Freshly ground black pepper

¾ lb. whole wheat or whole grain blend spaghetti

To make the gremolata breadcrumbs, heat 2 t. olive oil in a skillet, add half the garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add the bread crumbs, lemon zest and parsley and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until bread crumbs are browned and crispy. Set aside.

Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet. Add the zucchini and red pepper flakes, and cook over medium heat, turning frequently with a spatula, until the zucchini is starting to turn golden (about 10 minutes). Add the remaining garlic during the last 3 minutes of cooking time. Stir in the chickpeas, lemon juice, salt and a generous amount of black pepper.

Meanwhile, heat a large pot of water and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 3/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the reserved liquid to the zucchini mixture and cook for 2 additional minutes. Combine the pasta and squash, and stir gently. Serve topped with the breadcrumbs and a drizzle of olive oil.