You veggie gardeners out there know what time of year it is: it’s time to deal with the yearly zucchini explosion.
Growing from finger-size minis to monsters as big as your leg in mere days, zucchini is unmatched in yield per plant.
Fortunately it’s also very versatile once it reaches your kitchen. In savoury dishes its mild flavour makes a great foundation for side dishes or meatless main courses, and grated zucchini makes for super-moist baked goods.
Zucchini’s yellow cousin, summer squash, can be substituted in any of these recipes, or you can use a combination of the two.
Cheesy Garlic Zucchini Bread
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1½ tsp granulated garlic powder
1+¼ cups grated zucchini
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese (shreds, not the powdery kind)
¾ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1⁄3 cup finely chopped green onions
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
¼ cup melted butter or vegetable oil
Preheat oven to 350º F. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and garlic powder. Add the zucchini, both cheeses and green onions and toss mixture together with your hands until well blended.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk and butter or oil. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones and mix until just incorporated, don’t overmix.
Spread the mixture into a well-greased nine-by-five-inch loaf pan and bake until a tester inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, about 50 to 55 minutes. Makes about 10 to 12 slices.
Spinach-Stuffed Zucchini
5 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise
2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 Tbsp butter
½ cup diced onion
1 cup chicken flavour dry stuffing mix
One 300-gram package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed completely dry
½ cup sour cream (regular or low-fat, not fat-free)
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 400º F. Brush the cut sides of the zucchini with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the zucchini cut-side down on a foil-lined baking sheet; bake for 15 minutes, or until tender (a sharp knife easily pierces the skin).
Remove from oven; turn zucchini over and scoop out the pulp, leaving the shells intact (reserve the pulp). Reduce oven temperature to 350º F.
In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook five minutes or until translucent. Add the stuffing mix, spinach, sour cream, cheese and zucchini pulp to the skillet.
Mix together, add salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring, for three minutes. Spoon equal amounts of the mixture into each hollowed-out zucchini half. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until heated through. Makes 10 servings.
Zucchini Lasagna
1 lb lean ground beef
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3½ cups canned crushed tomatoes (one large can)
1 tsp granulated sugar
½ tsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
3 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise into one-eighth-inch slices
2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef and season to taste with salt and pepper. Drain meat through a sieve to remove fat; set aside.
Add olive oil to the pan and sauté the onions and garlic over medium heat for about two minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic. Return the meat to the pan, along with the tomatoes, sugar, balsamic vinegar and basil. Simmer covered on low heat for 30 to 40 minutes. Don’t add any water, the sauce should be thick.
While the sauce is cooking, lay zucchini strips on parchment paper and sprinkle them generously with salt. After 10 minutes, blot the moisture off the zucchini with paper towels. Heat a lightly greased grill pan over medium-high heat and grill both sides of the zucchini until the strips are just tender, about one minute per side.
Place cooked zucchini on paper towels to absorb any moisture. Preheat oven to 350º F. In a medium bowl mix together the ricotta, Parmesan cheese and the egg.
To assemble, spread a bit of sauce on the bottom of a baking dish about 9x12 inches, top with a layer of zucchini, then spread some of the ricotta mixture on the zucchini, followed by some of the mozzarella. Repeat those layers until the zucchini and ricotta are used up; top with sauce and mozzarella.
Cover dish with foil; bake covered for 45 minutes, then remove foil and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until cheese is golden. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Makes eight servings.
Angela Shellard is a self-described foodie. She has done informal catering for various functions. Contact: [email protected].
