by amanda
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Photo by Jennifer Causey
4 medium zucchini, ends trimmed Ask a question about this ingredient
Salt Ask a question about this ingredient
1 tablespoon olive oil Ask a question about this ingredient
2 tablespoons butter Ask a question about this ingredient
1/4 lemon Ask a question about this ingredient
1 teaspoon honey, honey (a variety you like but nothing too strong) Ask a question about this ingredient
10 small basil leaves Ask a question about this ingredient
10 small mint leaves Ask a question about this ingredient
Freshly ground black pepper Ask a question about this ingredient
Cut the zucchini lengthwise into quarters, and then crosswise into ½-inch cubes. Put them in a bowl, season generously with salt and let sit for 20 to 30 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
Ask a question about this stepHeat the olive oil and butter in a large sauté pan (large enough to fit the zucchini in a single layer) over medium high heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the zucchini and let it brown. The trick to this recipe is controlling the heat so the zucchini neither steams nor burns – you want it to brown the edges while leaving the centers crisp-tender. Stir only when needed.
Ask a question about this stepAs soon as the zucchini is done, spoon it into a serving dish, leaving the oil in the pan behind. Sprinkle with a little lemon juice, and the honey. Sprinkle the basil and mint leaves and grind some pepper over the zucchini.
Ask a question about this stepVariation: you can make a basil and mint pesto instead of using whole leaves. Combine 1/4 cup packed basil leaves and 1/4 cup packed mint leaves with a pinch of salt in a small food processor. Turn on the machine and drizzle 3 tablespoons oil through feed tube, until a loose sauce forms. You may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice. Once the zucchini is cooked, use this pesto to dress it -- you may not need all the pesto.
Ask a question about this stepI used a griddle tonight to prepare these, which made quick work of cooking these little guys. They were delicious as is!
And yet, I had to up the ante. With some fresh ricotta on hand, a garden full of zucchini blossoms, and saffron from Jerusalem, I had to toss it all together in a pasta.
I'm feeling very fat and happy! Thanks for this :)
That sounds fantastic. I made pasta with roasted cherry tomatoes, corn, and fresh ricotta tonight, as well.
Sounds delish! What about oven roasting the zucchini instead of pan frying after the salting and rinsing? This is the usualy method of cooking I use on a lightly greased cookie sheet in a 375 - 400 oven.
I like oven roasting, too, but you'll end up with a different result -- if you roast it the zucchini will become soft through the center by the time it browns. Not a bad effect at all -- just different from the caramelized edges and fresher core flavor you get when sauteing
We had this for dinner last night and it was very tasty. We went the pesto route and I tossed in some tarragon too because I accidentially snipped a few pieces when cutting the basil and mint. We served it with Liz's corn pudding and Mrs. Wheelbarrow's pork with spicy plum sauce and it was the perfect summer dinner. Thanks for another great recipe.
Great -- did you do leaves or pesto? Just curious.
Making this tonight for Feast Noir (ATL). Sounds so delicious and summery. Perfect for an evening al fresco dinner party!
And no need to stress about keeping it warm -- works at outdoors temp, too.
awesome stuff right here and now- just finished my first batch using all ingredients from garden. Served w/ grilled leg of lamb and summer peach cake (both recipes on this site) and local fresh corn on the cob. Outside on the patio- full moon summer nite- just can't get it any better!
I love this so much! I have tons of zucchini and am going to make it tonight! Thanks!
Kari is the manager of Whisk, a kitchenware store in Brooklyn.
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I cut the zucchini in quarters lengthwise -- and I like to go the risky route, holding it all together as I go.
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Then I cut it crosswise into 1/2-inch chunks.
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Here's the most important step -- salting the zucchini to draw out some of the moistrure before sauteeing it. Add salt as if you were seasoning a steak. Don't be shy -- much of it drains off.
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I dry the zucchini in a tea towel.
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I use a combination of butter and oil for sauteeing.
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In go the zucchini -- you want to use a pan that's large enough to spread the zucchini in a single layer. If not, the zucchini will steam and get soggy. Control the heat so it browns quickly without burning and just barely cooks through.
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I spread the zucchini in a serving dish.
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Sprinkling with lemon juice.
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Then honey.
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Then topping with herbs (see the pesto alternative in the recipe).
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I made this for dinner last night, it turned out very nicely, a little soggy, but the flavors were still very nice! Being a bit of a rookie when it comes to salting things to draw out the liquid, I dumped the bowl over the strainer in the middle of the kitchen rather than over the sink, not realising that there would be about 3 inches of water in the bottom! Whoops!