Zucchini Madness

You know you live in a small town when you leave your car parked downtown in the summer, unlocked, with the keys in the ignition, and when you return, instead of finding your car stolen, you find zucchini on the front seat.

In spite of our cold wet spring and start of summer, this is the time for the usual abundant crop of zucchini.  Just a few plants can provide enough fruit for the average family but many of us put in a row of ten or so plants.  Zucchini should be picked about the time the flower falls from the fruit but these fruit are camouflaged and occasionally you will find one hiding somewhere about the size of a battleship.  When they get this size, their only use is as an ingredient in bread or muffins.  I take these enormous squashes, split them lengthwise, and put them out for my chickens.

Zucchini are almost impossible to store.  We have tried to freeze, can, and dehydrate them.  Dehydrated pieces work in soup and frozen grated zucchini can be used in making zucchini bread.  The dogs wouldn’t even eat the canned stuff.  You really have to use it when it is freshly picked.  According to Ray Crenna, who teaches classes in Italian cooking for Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College in Hurley each winter, it is one of the most versatile of the garden vegetables.

Here are two unusual zucchini recipes – the first is from the Internet site About.com (Use the web address http://italianfood.about.com and enter Zucchini in the keyword search) and the second is from a battered index card in the recipe file.

Fiori di Zucca Ripiene con Ricotta e Olive – Zucchini Flowers Stuffed with Ricotta and Olives

Trim the leek leaves so as to obtain twelve ribbons and blanch them in lightly salted water.  Mix the olive paste with the ricotta, and season it to taste with salt and pepper.

Rub the flower petals with egg white to help them stick to each other, and fill the flowers with the ricotta mixture (you may find it easier to do this if you gather the filling into a pastry bag with a wide nozzle, and squeeze it into the flowers). Tie the flowers shut with the leek ribbons, and steam them for 5 minutes.

While they're steaming pit and dice the olives. Whisk 4 tablespoons of olive oil and a half tablespoon of vinegar, seasoning the resulting emulsion with salt and pepper to taste, and mix in the diced olives. Spoon the sauce over the steamed zucchini flowers and serve.

Zucchini and Eggplant Soup

Peel and dice the eggplant, salt the pieces, and put them in a colander in the sink for an hour to draw out the bitterness. Rinse the pieces, pat them dry, and coarsely chop them in a blender or food processor. Bring the broth to a simmer.

Sauté the minced onion in the olive oil and butter, and when it begins to turn golden add the eggplant and zucchini, Cook for a few minutes, then add the hot broth and the potatoes. Continue simmering until the vegetables are just about done, check the seasoning, and then add the pasta.  Cook stirring occasionally so the pieces don’t stick to the bottom. When the pasta is cooked, stir in a pinch of coriander, and serve.

Other ways to prepare zucchini

  • Split them lengthwise, remove the seeds, oil them lightly with olive oil, (Salt and pepper if desired), stuff them with a meat and red sauce stuffing mixed with a nice melting cheese like gruyere, and bake them in a 325 degree oven until the zucchini is al dente, 30 minutes to an hour depending on the size of the zucchini.  Do not over bake or the zucchini will be mushy.
  • Use them as part of a vegetable grill mix after marinating them in Italian dressing and olive oil.
  • Cut them in fingers and French fry them.
  • Use slices with, or in place of, cucumber slices in a cucumber and onion salad.
  • Sauté garlic and zucchini in ½ cup olive oil until browned, season, and use as a pasta sauce.

    • Finally, when you have prepared zucchini all the ways you can think of and there are still more in the garden, it is time to go downtown and look for an unlocked car.