Zucchini 4 ways

grilled with balsamic glaze & feta

gratin at its best

ribbons for a variety of toppings

fritters

1. Grilled zucchini with balsamic glaze and feta cheese.  
Zucchini
olive oil
salt & peppper
balsamic glaze
feta cheese

Slice zucchini on a diagonal about 1/4 inch thick
Toss with olive oil, salt & pepper
Grill until just tender while still retaining their crispness
Place on platter, drizzle with balsamic glaze and sprinkle over feta


2. Zucchini gratin 

Zucchini
cream to drizzle (I used unsweetened coconut milk creamer)
Panko (optional)
Parmesan or pecorino cheese, grated finely
salt & pepper
butter (for coating ramekins or baking dish)


Preheat oven to 425.
Slice zucchini on the diagonal slightly less than 1/4 inch.  Place artfully in buttered ramekins or baking dish.  Drizzle cream over zucchini until it barely comes half way up the zucchini.  Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper.  Sprinkle over panko if using, then cheese. Dust with a bit more pepper.  Bake about 20 minutes until the cheese and cream have started to bubble and the tops are golden.




3.  Zucchini ribbon saute,

Zucchini
olive oil
salt & pepper


Optional Topping ideas:
Goat cheese, black sesame seeds, cashews and toasted sesame oil
Pistachios, feta, pomegranate molasses, and sumac
Smoked salt, crushed pink peppercorns, pomegranate arils and pecans

Using a vegetable peeler, make long ribbons out of your zucchini.  Add a bit of olive oil to a skillet and saute the ribbons for about 60 seconds.  Salt & pepper to taste.  Arrange on a platter then get creative with toppings.  This is also great as a room temperature salad as the ribbons should have a slight crispness left to them.


4. Zucchini fritters ​

Makes about 6 fritters
1 large zucchini, grated
1 egg, beaten
1/4 c panko or regular breadcrumbs
1/2 shredded cheese such as goats milk cheddar or regular cheddar
1/4 t smoked chipotle chili powder or cayenne
1 t smoked paprika
salt & pepper to taste


Mix everything together.  Place small mounds on a 350 degree griddle or skillet coated with a drizzle of olive oil.  Cook about 3  minutes then flip to cook 3 minutes on the other side.  They’ll be golden and ready to dig into.  See the other flavor combinations mentioned in the zucchini story as there are so many options available to you here.  I love these with a little lemony aioli (a bit of mayo with lemon juice and zest) or even ranch dressing or sriracha mayp drizzled over them.