I Dream of Zucchini

Of all the vegetables people wait patiently all year the enjoy, the zucchini is often sadly overlooked. It’s season coincides with the coming and going of louder, flashier friends and relatives- raspberries! Cherries! BASIL! Tomatoes! Peppers! Snow peas! Everything we have waited all year to taste again! And so, the humble zucchini, which is modest and reserved in flavour and texture is often passed over when anticipating the bounty of the incoming season.

This may in part be due to its prolific output when it does arrive- ending up with an overwhelming glut of zucchini is very common, as is not being able to keep up with picking them in time to enjoy them at their tiny perfect best. Yes, zucchini are best eaten small, no larger than 6 or 7 inches, before their insides become spongy and their skin tough. The only thing to be done with a large zucchini is zucchini bread, in my opinion, which, thankfully, is very good.

I love zucchini and do actually anticipate their arrival every year, though I am sadly alone in my house on this. I love that they are so flexible. Shave them thinly and toss in olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice, a scrape of zest and a handful of fresh herbs (mint is especially good) for a lovely salad and if you add some shaved parmesan or torn mozzarella and some garlic-rubbed toast you have a proper lunch. You can turn them into lovely crisp fritters- simply grate, toss with a pinch of salt and leave to strain for 20 minutes before squeezing every trace of liquid from them and mixing with a beaten egg and a little flour, salt and pepper. Shape into patties and fry in small batches in a little olive oil, preferably in a non-stick pan if you want to avoid a minor nervous breakdown, then serve along side a lovely green salad, maybe with some olives, good ripe tomato and thinly sliced raw onion and a little yoghurt dipping sauce. Thinly sliced zucchini on top of foccaccia (with or with mozzarella) drizzled with honey and topped with fresh oregano and chili flakes when it is out of the oven is very good.

Roasted zucchini is delicious (400F/200C, toss in olive oil and salt, roast until lovely and caramelized, don’t be tempted to pull it out when it is still pale or it will be insipid in flavour and texture.) tossed though a salad with some cheese- anything goes here really: shaved ricotta salata, Comte, cheddar, mozzarella, feta, Manchego, whatever floats your boat- maybe some chopped nuts or seeds (sunflower seeds toasted in a little olive oil and salt are very good and cheaper than nuts) or avocado and fresh herbs. Pile roasted zucchini on a sandwich with hummus, lightly dressed salad greens and chili, maybe sprinkle on some more of those sunflower seeds. For a meaty sandwich, pair with some thinly sliced roast beef and a mustard and horseradish cream sauce (mix sour cream with a little dijon, seeded mustard and horseradish, season with salt) and a little arugula.

Below is a recipe for a ‘soup’ that is almost a risotto, lovely and thick, with a dollop of mascarpone on top that melts into the soup as you eat it. The key here is to cook the onion and zucchini very slowly, pulling out the sweet succulence of each of the vegetables. Potato and rice may seem excessive on the starch front, but I love the combination. The next recipe is a simple pasta, one that I made up when I had my first cafe with my mum aged 18. It is still one of my favorite pasta recipes, especially for this time of the year when you want something that is substantial but not heavy.