Zucchini Salad
You Need:
- 1 lb. of sliced zucchini
- 4-6 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2-3 tablespoons of lemon juice
- 2 cloves of crushed garlic
- 1 teaspoon of crushed caraway seeds
- salt and pepper to taste
- pinch of paprika
Directions:
1. Steam zucchini or boil in salted water 2-3 minutes.
2. While they are cooking, whisk olive oil into lemon juice.
3. Add garlic, caraway seeds, and salt and pepper.
4. Drain zucchni and place in a serving dish.
5. Pour the dressing over, and mix well.
6. Sprinkle a little paprika on top before serving, either hot of cold.
Bohémienne (Or the other way of looking at Ratatouille)
You Need:
- 4 Courgettes (or zucchini)
- 2 Aubergines (or egg plant)
- 4 ripened Tomatoes
- 3 small Green peppers
- 1 Medium Red pepper
- 1 Medium to large Onion or 4 to 5 small fresh onions
- 2 cloves Garlic
- Flat Parsley, chopped
- Basil, chopped
- Salt
- Pepper from the mill
- Olive oil for cooking
Directions:
The order of cooking is important, so keep the vegetables separate when preparing them. Slice the onion and chop the garlic finely. Cut the peppers in two and remove the stalks, seeds and white fleshy parts, then cut into 1/2 inch squares. Without peeling them, cube the Aubergines and courgettes to an equivalent size. Remove the stem and seeds from the tomatoes and cut the flesh into small pieces. Chop the parsley and basil, keeping a few small leaves as garnish. In a frying pan, sauté the onion, garlic and peppers in olive oil over a brisk heat, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper as you go along. When the peppers are 3/4 cooked (they should be nice and crunchy), remove from pan and keep warm. Sauté the aubergines until they are cooked through and nice and golden. Set aside with the peppers. Sauté the courgettes, adding the tomatoes and parsley as they start to golden, and cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes. Return the peppers and aubergines to the pan, mix all the vegetables thoroughly and add the basil. If required, deglaze the pan with a little water and then reduce. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish parsley and basil leaves.
Zucchini-Spice Bread
You Need:
- a little butter or oil for the pan
- 2 cups (packed) coarsely grated zucchini
- 6 Tbs. melted butter
- 1/3 c. sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 cup unbleached white flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
- 3/4 tsp. allspice
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts
- 1/2 cup currants
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a medium loaf pan.
2. Place the grated zucchini in a colander in the sink. Let it stand for about 10 minutes, then squeeze out all excess moisture.
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3. Beat together the butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl.
4. In a separate medium-sized bowl, sift together the dry ingredients
5. Add the sifted dry ingredients, alternately with the zucchini , to the butter-egg mixture, beginning and ending with the dry. Stir in nuts and currants.
6. Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Bake 50 6o 60 minutes, or until a knife inserted all the way into the center comes out clean. Remove from the pan after about 10 minutes, then cool on a rack for another 30 before slicing.
Tomato and Zucchini Soup
You Need:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 2 pounds tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- 3 cups vegetable or chicken stock
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 zucchini, trimmed and coarsely shredded
for garnish:
- 4 ice cubes
- 3 tablespoons plain yougurt
- basil leaves
Directions:
Heat oil in a saucepan, add the garlic, tomatoes, and tomato paste and cook over gentle heat 10 minutes. Stir in the basil and stock; add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer 5 minutes. Puree in a blender or food processor until fairly smooth. Let cool. Stir zucchini into the soup; cover and chill 4 hours or overnight. Just before serving, place an ice cube in each of the four chilled bowls. Pour in the soup, add a swirl of yougurt and garnish with basil leaves. Four servings.
Double Chocolate Zucchini Cake
You Need:
- 3/4 cup oil
- 1 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups grated zucchini
- 1/2 cup sour milk or buttermilk
- 3 tablespoons cocoa or carob powder
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp cloves
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- small bag of chocolate or carob chips
Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees; grease a 9-by-13 inch pan. Mix all ingredients and bake 30-35 minutes.
Tangy Garlic Tortellini Salad
You Need:
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt
- 1 tbsp plus 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp of pepper
- 1 to 1 1/2 tsp of salt
- 1 small clove of minced garlic
- 9 oz of fresh cheese filled tortellini, cooked and drained
- 1 medium-sized red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
- 1 medium-sized zucchini, cut into thin strips
- 2 medium-sized carrots, cut into thin strips
Directions:
1. In a small bowl combine all ingredients except pasta and vegetables. In medium bowl, combine pasta and vegetables; mix lightly. Add dressing; toss lightly to coat. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
Zucchini-Feta Pancakes
You Need:
- 4 eggs, separated (yolks optional)
- 4 packed cups coarsely grated zucchini
- 1 cup of finely crumbled feta cheese
- 1/2 cup of finely minced scallions
- 1 tsp dried mint or 1 tbsp fresh
- a little salt
- lots of black pepper
- 1/3 cup of flour
- oil for frying
- sour cream or yogurt for topping
Directions:
1. Beat egg whites until stiff.
2. Combine zucchini through flour.
3. Fold in egg whites.
4. Fry pancakes in oil. If batter seems too thin, strain a bit.
Summer Vege Casserole
You Need:
- zucchini slices
- tomato slices
- onion slices
- provolone cheese slices
- grated cheddar cheese
- chopped fresh chives
- salt and pepper
Directions:
Layer zucchini, tomato, onion and provolone cheese in casserole dish. Salt and pepper to taste; add chopped chives if desired. Sprinkle with cheddar. Bake, covered at 400° for 35-40 minutes. Uncover and bake 10-15 minutes longer.
Please Note: I have collected these recipes from various sources, and haven't had the chance to try them all. - Emily McDonald