ZUCCHINI ZEAL!

Squash perfect in a variety of dishes

It’s zucchini season! How do we know? Just check with anyone who has a garden!

It’s one of the most popular and versatile plants that offers an abundance of yield. You are bound to find more than enough of this lovely summer squash — perfect in all sorts of delicious dishes. This delicately green, smooth-skinned food is full of goodness, including vitamins C and B, folate, zinc and magnesium. Many people assume it’s a vegetable but, botanically speaking, it’s a fruit. And it’s perfect in all sorts of dishes, be they sweet or savoury. They preserve well, too.

What to do with all that extra zucchini?

FREEZE: For baking, wash, pat dry and grate. Divide evenly into freezer bags. When you need, thaw and run through strainer to remove excessive liquid. Use in sweet recipes like zucchini loaf or muffins. For regular cooking, slice or cut into large chunks and drop in boiling water for a minute then immediately place in an ice bath. Place on absorbent cloth and then freeze zucchini in a single layer until solid before transferring to freezer bags. Great for sauces, soups and casseroles.

PRESERVE: According to the good folks at Bernardin, you can use zucchini to make everything from zucchini relish to zuchini pickles to marmalade gingered zucchini — and that’s just for starters! Check out Bernardin.ca for more details.

MIMA’S ZUCCHINI BLOSSOM FRITTERS

My sister-in-law, Mima, makes the best fried zucchini blossoms fritters — her secret is she blanches her zucchini blossoms first. You can buy zucchini flowers at your supermarket or farmers’ market.

30-35 staymens 3 large zucchini eggs removed blossoms,

¼ chopped cup (60mL) parsley fresh

5-6 fresh basil leaves, chopped

½ tsp. (2mL) garlic powder (optional)

1 cup (250mL) all-purpose flour

1 tsp. (5mL) baking powder

½ tsp. (2mL) salt

Pepper (optional)

1 to 1½ cups (250mL-375mL) grated Parmesan cheese

Canola or vegetable oil, for frying

canola or vegetable oil

In boiling water, blanch zucchini blossoms for 2-3 minutes and remove. Reserve a cup of boiling water.

When blossoms can be handled, press out liquid and roughly chop and set aside.

In a bowl, beat eggs with herbs and garlic powder (if using.) In a third bowl, toss flour with baking powder, salt and one cup (250mL) grated Parmesan. Pour egg mixture into dry mixture and blend until mixture is paste-like. Thin out with some of boiling water. Toss in zucchini blossoms. Taste and add more cheese as needed.

Pour about ½-inch oil in a large fry pan. Drop zucchini mixture by large spoonfuls into hot oil, watching carefully that bottoms don’t burn. When bottoms achieve a light, golden crust, turn once and fry top. Remove fried fritters to paper-lined dish and enjoy!

ZUCCHINI RIBBON TART

This tart is lovely for either lunch or as an appetizer. Recipe courtesy Foodlandontario.ca.

1 green or yellow zucchini

1 sheet (225g) frozen butter puff pastry, thawed and refrigerated

2 Tbsp. (30mL) basil pesto

10 cherry tomatoes, cut in half

½ cup (125mL) coarsely grated Gruyere cheese

Freshly ground pepper Slice off and discard ends of zucchini. Using wide vegetable peeler, peel strips of zucchini lengthwise to form ribbons. After a few ribbons, turn zucchini and peel another side for better shaped ribbons. Place ribbons loosely in measuring cup, measure 2 cups (500mL); set aside.

Unroll puff pastry and leave on parchment paper. Place on baking sheet. Using fork, leave ½-inch (1 cm) border around edge of pastry, prick pastry many times.

Thinly spread pesto over pastry.

Arrange zucchini ribbons over pesto, curling, overlapping and weaving strips; leaving border bare. Place cherry tomatoes, cut side up on zucchini and sprinkle with cheese.

Bake in 400F (200C) oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. Sprinkle with pepper to taste.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 4.

CLASSIC ZUCCHINI LOAF WITH ORANGE

A delicious classic adapted from a Bake with Anna Olson recipe on Foodnetwork.ca.

¼ cup (60mL) vegetable oil

½ cup (125mL) 2% yogurt

2 large eggs

1 cup (250mL) sugar

2 tsp. (10mL) finely grated orange zest

1 tsp. (5mL) pure vanilla

1½ cups (375mL) all-purpose flour

1 tsp. (5mL) freshly grated nutmeg

½ tsp. (2mL) ground cinnamon

1 tsp. (5mL) baking powder

¼ tsp. (1mL) baking soda

¼ tsp. (1mL) salt

1½ cups (375mL) loosely packed, coarsely grated zucchini

½ cup (125mL) yogurt

½ cup (125mL) dark chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Grease a 9-x-5-inch pan and line with parchment paper so that it comes up sides.

Whisk oil, yogurt, eggs, sugar, zest and vanilla together in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in zucchini to coat it with flour and add this to wet mixture, stirring until blended.

Stir in chocolate chips (if using) and scrape batter into prepared pan.

Bake loaf for 50 to 60 minutes, until a tester inserted in centre of cake comes out clean. Cool cake completely in pan until turning out to slice.

Loaf will keep, well wrapped, for up to 3 days, and can be frozen for up to 3 months.