Las Vegas Review-Journal (Sunday)
Zucchini: Summer’s low-key charmer
Easy recipes for this fast-growing squash
Last week, we talked tomatoes; this week is all about our zeal for zucchini, with recipes devoted to summer’s low-key charmer. While I love zucchini, I do not love mushy, watery zucchini, so it’s essential to lean on recipes and techniques that best show it off.
Don’t ignore zucchini’s other divine purpose: as an ingredient for baking. Zucchini bread, zucchini muffins and chocolate zucchini loaf cake are all worthy of your time.
Chilled zucchini soup with lemon and basil
During the warmest days, there is no more welcome promise than a no-cook meal. A blender or food processor makes quick work of this peak summer zucchini soup, which requires no cooking and is best served chilled. Cashews thicken the soup while adding a creamy silkiness and a gentle sweetness. Since taste buds don’t register the flavors of cold foods as well as warm ones, chilled soups require generous seasonings. Here, the mellow raw zucchini is bolstered by the hefty use of garlic, miso, lemon juice and basil. The soup can be prepared ahead and chilled in the fridge for up to 24 hours or it can be served right away, chilled with ice cubes. By Hetty Lui Mckinnon Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 15 minutes, plus optional chilling
Ingredients:
• 2 pounds zucchini, trimmed and roughly chopped
• 2 cups basil leaves (about 2 ounces), plus more to serve
• 1 cup roasted cashews (5 ounces), plus 1/4 cup chopped roasted cashews to serve
• 6 tbsp lemon juice (from 2 lemons), plus more if needed
• 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped • 2 tbsp white miso
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• Kosher salt and black pepper • Ice cubes (optional)
• Extra-virgin olive oil, to serve Preparation:
1. Place the zucchini, basil, cashews, lemon juice, garlic, miso, vegetable stock and 2 teaspoons salt in a blender or food processor and blitz until smooth and silky. Taste and check seasonings, adding more salt or lemon juice as needed.
2. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or serve immediately, transferring the soup to a bowl and adding a few ice cubes if needed. Top with chopped cashews, a drizzle of olive oil, black pepper and a few basil leaves.
Sheet-pan chicken with zucchini and basil
Chicken thighs and drumsticks are seasoned with garlic, herbs and red-pepper flakes, and roasted with chunks of zucchini that caramelize in the oven’s heat. Torn basil leaves and a squeeze of lemon give the dish sharp and tangy notes just before serving, while the optional coriander seeds tossed into the pan lend depth. This recipe comfortably serves two to three, but if you’re feeding more people, feel free to double the ingredients. Divide the ingredients between two sheet-pans, and bear in mind that you might need to add a few minutes to the cooking time. Add some crusty bread or rice to soak up the savory juices, and you’ve got a summery meal that’s fresh, full of flavor and an absolute snap to make. By Melissa Clark Yield: 2 to 3 servings Total time: 40 minutes Ingredients: • 1 3/4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/4 pounds zucchini, sliced into 1-inch chunks (about 5 cups)
• 2 fat garlic cloves, finely grated, passed through a press or minced • 2 tsp dried mint or oregano
• 1 tsp coriander seeds, cracked with a mortar and pestle or the flat side of a chef’s knife (optional) • 1/4 tsp red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
• Lemon wedges, for serving
• 1/2 cup torn fresh basil leaves, for serving Preparation:
1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Pat chicken dry with paper towels, and season all over with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Place zucchini on a rimmed sheet pan, and season with a little more salt and pepper. 2. In a small bowl, combine garlic, mint or oregano, coriander (if using) and red-pepper flakes. Whisk in oil. Add chicken to the pan with the zucchini pieces and pour garlic mixture over all, tossing until well coated. Spread chicken and zucchini in a single layer, and roast until chicken is cooked through and zucchini is browned and caramelized, 30 to 40 minutes. You don’t need to turn anything.
3. Once the pan is out of the oven, squeeze a lemon wedge over everything. Garnish with basil and serve with more lemon wedges and red-pepper flakes on the side.
Zucchini scampi
While scampi is a type of crustacean (also known as langoustines), the word has also come to refer to the garlicky lemon-butter sauce that drapes shrimp at Italian American restaurants. But what if you lost the shellfish altogether? When zucchini, or any kind of summer squash, is sliced and cooked only part way, they have a juicy snap similar to shrimp, no mushiness. This rendition also maintains the lively flavors of garlic and lemon, which are only slightly mellowed by the residual heat of the sauce. Eat with pasta or crusty bread, or as a side dish to any summery meal.
By Ali Slagle Yield: 4 servings Total time: 25 minutes Ingredients:
• 1 1/2 pounds zucchini, or other summer squash, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
• Kosher salt
• Neutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped • 1/4 tsp red-pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed and cold
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (from half a lemon)
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley, mint or basil leaves (or 1/2 tbsp chopped tarragon leaves) Preparation:
1. Arrange the squash in a single layer and sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt. Let sit for 10 minutes (and no more than 30). Pat dry with a kitchen towel or paper towel.
2. In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat about 1 tablespoon of oil. Add a single layer of squash, salted sides down. Cook, without flipping, until browned underneath, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a platter or large plate, and repeat with the remaining squash, adding more oil as necessary. Sprinkle with garlic and red-pepper flakes. 3. With the empty skillet over medium-high heat, add the white wine (stand back as it may flame). Simmer until reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the butter and shake the skillet until the butter melts and combines with the wine into a sauce. Remove skillet from the heat, add the lemon juice and shake to combine. Season to taste with salt, then pour over the squash. Top with the parsley and serve warm.
Vegetable pajeon (Korean scallion pancakes with vegetables)
Crisp at the edges, soft at the center and filled with scallions and other vegetables, these irresistible, comforting pancakes (adapted from Sohui Kim of Insa and the Good Fork restaurants in the Brooklyn borough of New York) make for a quick dinner that you can throw together on any given weeknight. It’s extremely forgiving, so feel free to use whatever vegetables you have on hand. Kim recommends finely shredded raw vegetables, or even leftover cooked vegetables. And if you don’t have the bandwidth to make a dipping sauce, a drizzle of soy sauce and squirt of Sriracha adds verve without any work. Serve pajeon by itself or topped with a fried egg or two, if you want to add protein. Recipe from Sohui Kim Adapted by Melissa Clark Yield: 3 to 4 servings
Total time: 30 minutes Ingredients:
For the pancakes:
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup potato starch (or 1/4 cup each white rice flour and cornstarch)
• 3/4 tsp fine sea salt, plus more as needed
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 cup ice water
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup finely chopped kimchi • 4 cups finely chopped or grated mixed vegetables (carrots, zucchini, bell peppers, kale, whatever you’ve got)
• 4 scallions, cut into 2-inch-long sections and thinly sliced lengthwise
• 2 tbsp grapeseed or peanut oil, plus more as needed
For the dipping sauce:
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp rice wine vinegar, plus more to taste
• 1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger or garlic (optional)
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil, plus more to taste
• Pinch of sugar
Preparation:
1. Prepare the pancakes: In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, potato starch, salt and baking powder.
2. In a medium bowl, combine water, egg and kimchi. Whisk kimchi mixture into flour mixture, and whisk until smooth. Fold in vegetables and about three-quarters of the scallions. (Save the rest for garnish.)
3. In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons oil. Scoop 1/4 cup portions of batter into the skillet, as many as will fit while not touching, flatten, and fry until dark golden on the bottom, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and continue to fry until other side is browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with a little more salt. Continue with remaining batter.
4. Before serving, make the dipping sauce: In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, vinegar, ginger or garlic (if using), sesame oil and sugar. Sprinkle sliced scallion over pancakes, and serve with dipping sauce on the side.
Chicken-zucchini meatballs with feta
These meatballs harbor a secret: They’re half-vegetable, half-chicken. More than just a surprise, the grated zucchini provides moisture that ground chicken can lack. Roast more zucchini next to the meatballs on the sheet pan, then top everything with feta tossed with lemon juice. For an easy starch, add chickpeas to the feta, or toast bread or pita on the free rack in the oven.
By Ali Slagle
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 45 minutes Ingredients:
• 3 large zucchini (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 large shallot, halved
• 1/2 cup panko
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp red-pepper flakes
• 1 pound ground chicken or turkey
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint, basil, parsley or dill, plus more for serving
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing and drizzling
• 3 tbsp lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)
• 4 ounces feta
Preparation:
1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut 2 of the zucchini into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Transfer to a plate, season with salt, and set aside.
2. Working over a large bowl, using the large holes of a box grater, grate the remaining zucchini. Grate 1 shallot half into the bowl as well. Add the panko, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and use your hands to toss until combined. Add the chicken and herbs and toss gently until combined.
3. Lightly grease a baking sheet. With wet hands, form the chicken mixture into 16 meatballs (around 2 to 3 tablespoons each) and place them on one side of the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and roast for 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, pat the sliced zucchini dry, then lightly coat with about 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with pepper.
5. Coarsely chop the remaining shallot half and transfer to a small bowl. Add the lemon juice, season with salt, and stir to combine.
6. Add the sliced zucchini to the other half of the baking sheet, moving the meatballs over, if necessary. Bake until the meatballs are cooked through and the zucchini is golden on the underside, another 15 to 20 minutes. For more browned meatballs, broil for a few minutes, if desired.
7. Meanwhile, crumble the feta into the shallot mixture. Add the 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes. Stir, breaking up the feta a bit, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. Eat the meatballs and zucchini with a drizzle of the feta sauce and more fresh herbs.