| Vol. I,
No. 1 |
Oct.
20th, 2000 |
Food & Dining
The Key to Great
Zucchini? A 50¢ Piece ...
Whether you grow it or buy it, the secret to great zucchini is
pretty simple: Keep 'em small.
When zucchini is small, the seeds are small too, and the skin is
tender. When they're too big, not only does the skin toughen up and the
seeds grow large ... about the only thing they're good for then is ratatouille.
{Not that there's anything wrong with a good ratatouille. But the zucchini
gets totally lost in there as a base.}
No. If you want a shot a great zucchini, then you should
follow my grandmother's simple formula: "... no bigger than a 50¢
piece."
Marinated Zucchini
Ingredients:
-
several small zucchini, 50¢-size, 10" long or smaller
-
olive oil
-
garlic {chopped or minced; crushed is ok; use powdered only
in a pinch}
-
parsley {fresh or dried}
-
oregano {fresh or dried}
-
1 or 2 large, or 3 small bay leaves
-
balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, or red wine vinegar.
The basic idea here is simple. We're going to lightly
sauté some zucchini in olive oil, then sauté some seasonings, marinate
the whole thing and chill.
-
Cut zucchini, skin still on, into slices, about 3/8"
thick.
-
In a nice flat fry pan that evenly distributes the heat,
bring a thin coating of olive oil to the point where the zucchini
will gently sizzle without blistering.
-
Place zucchini slices evenly on bottom of pan {Make sure
they all touch.} and lightly sauté on one side until they become slightly
translucent.
-
Turn the pieces over and do the same thing to the other
sides. Add more olive oil as needed.
-
Once all the zucchini has been sautéed, place in a bowl
deep enough to turn them over. Do not drain.
-
Now add more olive oil to the pan, a generous coating this
time, and bring up the heat to the point where the garlic will sizzle
without browning. {Test with a teaspoon tip of it.}
-
Add the rest of the garlic and gently stir for about a
minute to distribute the flavor.
-
Add the parsley and oregano and continue to stir for another
minute
-
Now clear a small opening amid the seasonings near the
middle of the pan and add the bay leaf. Let it sauté for another
minute.
-
Once you've prepared the seasonings, quickly fold the oil
& seasonings into the zucchini and turn gently, making sure to coat all
the zucchini with the seasoned oil.
-
Next, add a sprinkling of balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, or
red wine vinegar.
-
Cover and let stand at room temperature for about 15
minutes.
-
Turn gently and let stand for another 15 minutes.
-
Refrigerate.
Marinated zucchini makes a great side dish for sandwiches, like
ham or prosciutto. It also goes well with some bread & cheese, either
a harder provolone or a softer Bel Paese.
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