Zucchini Pasta

We have our warm Santa Ana winds blowing through, so I feel okay squeezing in one more post about our dearest summer squash, the zucchini.

I, too, was skeptical. Very skeptical. But it's delicious. Yes, zucchini "pasta" is delicious! Pasta itself is a precious, heartwarming artform and I would never suggest that zucchini does, should, or can substitute its delicately doughy comrade; they are unique individuals, different special personalities. However, you can prepare zucchini using some traditional pasta methods and make something incredibly tasty happen. Plus, like cooking up dried pasta, it requires few ingredients and little time. Here's the basic steps for the simple butter, salt, and pepper route, but go crazy with meatballs, tomato sauce, pesto, coconut milk - whatever you can dream up!

INGREDIENTS

zucchini (2-3 per person) shredded on a mandolin

earth balance or butter

good chunky salt

fresh ground pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Warm up butter in a large sauce pan until it bubbles then add the shredded zucchini.
2. Saute until soft, but not mushy.
3. Sprinkle with salt and fresh pepper to taste.

That's it! Promise, you won't be disappointed. xo, J

Broiled Zucchini Ribbon Salad

I'm sneaking this in before the last remnants of summer completely sneak away. I've been meaning to post this dish all season since I've made it so many times that it's embarrassing to say and even more impossible to calculate.

I first made this salad when the inspiring Simran gifted me what has become one of my favorite (and at times most treacherous) kitchen tools: the mandoline. I wanted to ribbon and shred everything. I owned a (much more expensive) mandoline before, but it was clunky and difficult to use. This one is elegant, easy to use...and featured on Ratatouille! Just be extremely careful with your precious digits, I've had my own severe accident...or two.

To put my mandoline to good use, Simran sent me a recipe, "...thin strips of zucchini under the broiler then mixed with lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, capers, olives, roasted red pepper, roasted tomatoes, s&p." I ended up making many variations of this salad all season long; the broiled olive oiled zucchini ribbons dressed with lemon and salt alone is brilliant. I also started playing around with broiling everything instead of baking. Pita chips: broiler. Green beans and shallots: broiler. Crispy tofu: broiler. Zucchini ribbons: broiler!

Although this salad is amazing in its simplest form, here is my ultimate favorite variation. I've enjoyed it alone as a meal, wrapped up in a toasted tortilla, served as a side to guests, mixed in with dill and quinoa - just some ideas.

INGREDIENTS
zucchini (2 per person) thinly and uniformly ribboned; a little thicker than paper thin
cherry tomatoes halved
olive oil
coarse salt I use ground pink Himalayan or Kosher
black cured olives cut into pieces; I use kitchen scissors
capers
lemon

DIRECTIONS

1. Toss the zucchini and tomatoes separately with olive oil and salt.
2. Lay zucchini out on baking sheets; don't overlap otherwise they'll cook unevenly. Then lay the tomatoes out on a baking sheet.
3. Pop your sheets in the oven, broil on high and watch closely since broiling burns food easily. Every broiler is different, but make sure you only use the one rack closest to the heat. Cook until just golden. 
4. Toss zucchini and tomatoes together with lemon, olives, capers.

That's it! Enjoy with the last bit of zucchini you have left!

xo, J