The Wednesday Chef's Zucchini Pickles
We’re teaming up with other food and garden bloggers to host Summer Fest 2010, a season-long garden party. Each week we’ll feature favorite garden-to-table recipes and tips to help you enjoy the bounty, whether you’re harvesting your own goodies or buying them fresh from the market. To join in, check out awaytogarden.com.
Yessir, it’s Summer Fest, and it’s zucchini season. Thanks to my CSA share, my mother’s garden and weekly trips to the farmer’s market, I’ve found myself with 7 pieces of zucchini each week. Each week! An insane amount for just one person, and what am I even supposed to do with it all? Check out my top-ten must-try ideas if you’re faced with tons and tons of zukes, too. And if you’re still stumped, check out my Summer Fest friends’ posts for even more inspiration.
10. Make zucchini bread. Ok, maybe you did know this one. I mean come on, everyone knows this one. But did you know about curried zucchini bread? Perhaps not. It’s slightly spicy, thanks to curry powder and candied ginger, incredibly moist and savory-sweet, and it freezes well. Try it.
9. Pickle it. A la San Francisco’s Zuni Cafe. Tart, crisp, piquant and great on sandwiches, salads or popped into your mouth with your fingers. If you’re looking to preserve more than just zucchini, use Jaime Oliver’s Amazing Pickled and Marinated Vegetables recipe for herb+veggie combos using fennel, mushrooms, eggplant or peppers in addition to zukes.
8. Pretend it’s pasta. Raw zucchini pasta: Great for raw foodists, vegetarians, Meatless Monday champions, dieters or anyone whose neighbor just dropped off a 10-pound basket of zucchini.
Raw Zucchini Pesto Pasta from Elle's New England Kitchen
7. Hide it. No, not in the sock drawer, silly, but in your favorite comfort food. Or your kids’ (friends’, spouses,’ etc) favorite comfort food. They’ll be eating vegetables and you’ll be using up your zukes. Sneak zucchini into mac and cheese, lasagna, zucchini chili, or substitute zucchini for eggplant and make zucchini Parmesan.
6. Fry it. Fine, you knew this one too. But don’t just toss it into a skillet with some oil, try Emeril’s zucchini fritters, dunk slices into an herb batter before they hit the oil, use Panko for an extra-crunchy layer or deep-fry the flowers.
5. Choc-lify it. Zucchini brownies, chocolate chip zucchini bread, zucchini-chocolate chip cookies, these extremely lovely chocolate zucchini cupcakes with marscarpone frosting, chocolate zucchini cake . . . by transforming your zucchini into dessert, you knock out two important food groups at once: vegetables and chocolate.
4. Drink it. Zucchini-tini? Zucchini smoothie? Well, I guess, but does nothing for me after hearing about zucchini cookies and cake. How about a zucchini spear in a bloody Mary or a slice garnishing a Hendricks and soda instead?
3. Eat it raw. Shred it into Coleslaw, potato or pasta salad, tabbouleh or a garden salad, make Zucchini Carpaccio, Bobby Flay’s raw zuke salad over on FoodNetwork.com, serve it Greek-style or gussy it up with truffle oil and pecorino.
2. Stuff it. Provencal-style, Italian-style, Mediterranean-style, filled with beef, chock-full of lamb, or just vegetables, stuff yourself with this delicious . . . stuff.
Ellie Krieger's Grilled Zucchini Rolls With Herbs and Cheese
1. Grill it. I know! Another totally obvious one. But let’s talk about all the ways you can grill it, and you’ll forget you ever brushed your limp slices with Italian dressing and threw them on the barbie. How about Grilled Zucchini Roll-ups, Grilled Zucchini Pizza, Grilled Zucchini Ribbon Salad, zucchini kebabs, grilled zucchini fries, grilled zucchini crostini (because it’s delicious and fun to say), grilled zucchini, tomato and mozzarella sandwich . . . drooling yet?
What did I miss? Betcha’ can’t think of ten more! No cheating, but you can check out the Summer Fest bloggers’ posts for ideas on zukes, and cukes, too. Follow and retweet as you will please, #summerfood.
More Cukes and Zukes with Family and Friends:
- Alison’s Amazing Zucchini Appetizer on Food2
- For The FN Dish, Kirsten shares Paula’s Best Zucchini Bread, Plus 5 Riffs
- See Cucumber Salad from Healthy Eats, plus lightened up Zucchini Bread.
- Margaret debates the merit of size and pickling: Cukes ‘n Zukes: Size Matters
- From White on Rice Couple, mouthwatering, bite-size apps: Proscuitto, Sour Cream & Feta Stuffed Cucumbers
- How much is too much? Check in with Paige: On Zucchini Excess
- Cukes star in Kelly’s refreshing pickled salad: Cucumber Sesame Salad
- Find 3 more ways with zukes from Tea and Cookies: stuffed zucchini, zucchini “noodles” and pickles
- Chill out! Cold cuke soup: Summer Squash Dossier and Chilled Cucumber Mint Soup
- Put your food . . . on ya’ face: Cucumber Beauty Treatment
- On cukes and zukes together, married in a meal: Cucumber and Radish Confetti Soup and Zucchini Pancakes
- This one will have you muttering, “why didn’t I think of that?”: Cucumber Mint Sorbet with Lime Shortbread
- Caroline’s cuke salad, zuke salad: Cucumber Salad and
Marinated Summer Squash Salad - 50 ways to get into a pickle: 50 Ways With Cucurbits
- Cuke ‘wiches, Indian-style by Cate: Indian Cucumber Wraps
- Please, please, please don’t forget the blossoms: Fried Zucchini Blossoms, and More
Join the conversation on twitter at #summerfood.
[...] For Cooking Channel, Michelle shares 10 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Make With Zucchini [...]
[...] 10 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Make With Zucchini from Michelle at Cooking Channel [...]
Ah Ah! Genious! Love this approach! You won't never get tired with zucchini!
As requested, let's start cross commenting and visiting blogs! This is my post, a quinoa tart with raw baby zucchini and sun dried tomatoes! http://en.julskitchen.com/vegetariano/gluten-free...
Thanks for featuring my zucchini chocolate chip cookies! So many great suggestions in this post, too!
What a great list! Many of these I've tried, but a few are new (smoothe?? Brilliant!) Check out my contribution, a bread pudding that's great for using up loads of squash (and even better, is delicious) over on The Sister Project. So happy to be SummerFest -ing with you!
[...] Michelle Buffardi – Cooking Channel’s Devour/The Blog (Scripps): Ten Things You Didn’t Know You Could Make with Zucchini [...]
WOW this will help a lot with my zukes! no cukes in my garden- but went to farmer's market today to get some to play around with all these great recipes!
My post is http://divinacucina.blogspot.com/2010/07/summer-f... From Tuscany with love!
Levi Roots wicked, wicked, wicked.
Reunited! Nice to join forces again, Michelle, and I have to say that's some list. I will be spending the day clicking around the universe of Cucurbit ideas, I guess. : )
Wow, summerfest sounds like fun! I am excited to get a lot of new ideas and share some of my own. I’m a newbie blogger but really enjoying it so far!
Please check out my Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread: http://urbanrecipe.com/2010/07/chocolate-chip-zuc...
[...] Buffardi: Cooking Channel’s Devour/The Blog (Scripps) 10 things you didn’t know you could make with zucchini [...]
Zucchini is a personal favorite and love your ideas. Will be trying some of yours for summerfest. Try this Chilled Zucchini Soup, perfect for the hot days of summer. http//dejavucook.wordpress.com/2010/06/15/chilled-zucchini-soup/
Happy Herbivore "fried" zucchini sticks are always a hit! http://happyherbivore.com/2008/07/zucchini-sticks...
I also like Happy Herbivore's whole wheat zucchini muffins — esp the Chocolate zucchini muffs! A perfect way to get kids to eat their veggies! http://happyherbivore.com/2010/07/healthy-options...
ooh have squash blossoms galore in my garden.. making quesadillas with a little onion, serrano chile and a hint of fresh epazote.. true simple Mexican delights.
Check out my post on Zucchini Pasta with Chicken…my favorite summer dinner!
http://thepolymathchronicles.blogspot.com/2010/06...
Summer Fest fun has begun! Exciting! So exciting that I started with one post and ended up writing a second after making a bunch of Summer Fest rounds.
It was too inspiring not to throw a couple of other recipes into the mix!
Tangy Wilted Cucumber & Radish Salad: http://onehungrymama.com/2010/07/recipe-summer-fe...
My Zucchini Muffins–developed as a healthy, tasty finger food for toddlers that adults can't get enough of, too: http://onehungrymama.com/2010/07/summer-fest-reci...
And, last but not least, a simple Zucchini, Mint & Ricotta Frittata: http://onehungrymama.com/2010/07/summer-fest-reci...
Can't wait to see more, more, more!
[...] 10 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Make with Zucchini from Michelle at Devour The Blog [...]
For Summer Fest 2010, here’s the link to my recent post where I finally worked up a recipe for the Cucumber Wasabi Soup folks have been hounding me for for years. A summer orgy of cucumber and cultured dairy!
http://www.larkcrafts.com/uncategorized/cbs-cucum...
[...] 10 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Make with Zucchini from Michelle at Devour The Blog [...]
I'm so inspired by all these recipes and links!!
I made a cucumber salad with garlicky yogurt and dill
- http://boodely.com/2010/07/28/cukes/
I'm so excited about SummerFest! My zucchini's are going crazy so I've been constantly working on new recipes for them these past few weeks! This year, my favorites include:
Garlic Ginger Zucchini Pickles http://heartlandrenaissance.com/2010/07/garlic-gi...
Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread with Chocolate Chunks & Ginger http://heartlandrenaissance.com/2010/07/whole-whe...
Southwestern Garden Succotash (which actually features a number of garden vegetables coming up on the SummerFest line-up) http://heartlandrenaissance.com/2010/07/southwest...
and, from a previous post, my favorite lentil salad which is best with fresh cucumbers and basil from the garden http://heartlandrenaissance.com/2008/01/super-fre...
Can't wait to peruse the other recipes! I'm going to be eating our zucchini for weeks!
Best,
Sarah http://twitter.com/HeartlandSarah
Michelle, thank you so much for the link love and shout out! Can't wait to check out the rest of the links, too!
Hooray for Summer Fest! I'd like to submit these zucchini "noodles" with avocado garlic dressing:
http://blog.healthy-green-lifestyle.com/zucchini-...
As well as this refreshing cucumber sorbet:
http://blog.healthy-green-lifestyle.com/cucumber-...
And some good old reliable lacto-fermented pickles (a recipe that's really adaptable; I just made a batch with garlic, tarragon and chile pepper)
http://blog.healthy-green-lifestyle.com/pickled-c...
I'm really looking forward to reading everyone's recipes…and I'll try to do a dedicated Summer Fest post next week
Hi Michelle,
Thank you so much for the link to my fried zucchini recipe. I so appreciate it! Lots of great links here to explore! =)
Zucchini Smoothies—I think I'm more the zucchini spear in the bloody mary type of gal. Here's a different take on baking with zucchini—streusel topped coffee cake! So glad to join in this year’s SummerFest. http://su.pr/1Lhonk
Thanks for all these great ideas for using Zucchini. Here is my addition to Summer Fest:
Zucchini Feta Cheese Chopped Salad recipe http://su.pr/5sOnjA
Have a delicious weekend!
thank you for the informative and enlightening list! The world of zucchini has just opened up to us!
Persian Zucchini & Meat Stew:
Caramelize 3-4 zucchini – cut in 3/4" inch disks – in oil and set aside.
Mix 1/2-cup vinegar with enough sugar to create the "sweet and sour" taste. (adjust to taste)
Brown meat cubes (traditionally lamb in Iran but beef or pork are as delicious) and large diced onion in deep pot. Once meat is browned, add approx 1 tsp tumeric, salt and pepper.
Add water to cover meat and simmer until tender.
When meat is tender and broth is reduced, add the sweet & sour vinegar along with zucchini to pot.
Let simmer approx 10-more minutes for the flavors to marry.
Serve over white rice.
NOTE: for those who are able – skip the tumeric – and add saffron steeped in a few tablespoons of hot water at the time you add the zucchini to the pot. In Iran saffron is preferred but tumeric is also commonly used.
Emily just put up a great, simple recipe for this week’s theme: Cucumber, Tomato, and Red Onion Salad:
http://www.greenthumbgeeks.com/2010/07/recipe-cuc...
Also, we have a recipe for Bread and Butter pickles from a few weeks back that any pickle-lover would enjoy:
http://www.greenthumbgeeks.com/2010/07/recipe-bre...
Finally, there's our take on grilled zucchini and summer squash:
http://www.greenthumbgeeks.com/2010/07/recipe-gri...
Thanks for putting this together!
I’m late joining the party but here’s my contribution to the fun… Ice box pickles and Zucchini Ribbons in a Hazelnut butter sauce.
http://itsthewayshe.blogspot.com/2010/08/encourag...
[...] Cooking Channel’s helpful 10 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Make with Zuchinni [...]
Thanks for featuring my herb-battered zucchini
I ought to try the rest of the recipes featured in here. Great ideas.
[...] and here is a fabulous article on more and more and more zucchini recipes that I think I can cook this [...]
here in mexico where i live we use zucchini as a basic veggie year round. in all our soups stews and in sauses, we never tire of them. but thank you all for all the new ideas.
The provencal-style zucchs look particularly appealing. Just made a Roasted Veggie Sandwich with slow-roasted tomatoes and broiled zucchinis that was pretty dy-no-mite, made even sweeter by an Herbed Ricotta Spread. I'd eat it everyday… http://wp.me/prMEc-Br
[...] http://blog.cookingchanneltv.com/2010/07/28/10-things-you-didnt-know-you-could-make-with-zucchini/ [...]