I read an article in the Seattle Times a number of years ago about the zucchini and I was laughing so hard, I though I would choke. People were writing in sharing recipes and hilarious stories about growing monster zucchinis and what they could make from them. Zucchini lovers have come up with more recipes for using zucchini than once thought humanly possible. One of my favorite ways is to use zucchini in vegetarian lasagna, with a white sauce vs. a red sauce. Zucchini is also great in quiche, especially with bacon.
I wrote an article for a newspaper on the delights of gardening with children. One of the examples I gave was to plant zucchini or cucumbers and when the vegetables were still very small, take a nail and trace a whale, the child's initials, a boat, a small flower or something the child likes onto the vegetable. Carefully slip it inside a bottle or jar and let it grow. Obviously, you won't be able to eat the vegetable, but the kids will get enjoyment out of seeing how it grew into whatever they etched on the zucchini. Almost like a ship in the bottle.
Zucchini is treated as a vegetable, but botanically the zucchini in an immature fruit. Zucchini, like all summer squash has it's ancestry in the Americas. However, zucchini was developed in Italy. It's thought to have occurred in the late 19th century near Milan. Early varieties of zucchini included the names of nearby cities in their names. Zucchini contains vitamin A and C, potassium and very high in fiber and low in calories. What more could a woman want?? Zucchini is one of the easiest fruits to cultivate, hence you get the overwhelming production. If you harvest the flowers it will help control the over-abundance.
You should not store zucchini longer than three days, which will result in chilling damage. Italians love to bread and deep fry the flowers, known as fiori di zucca. The French love zucchini for ratatouille (my fav). In Turkey, zucchini is the main ingredient in a dish called muscer or zucchini pancakes. Some areas like zucchini stuffed with meat, rice, herbs, spices and steamed. In Greece, zucchini is usually fried or boiled, as well as stuffed with meat and rice and feta. In Bulgaria, zucchini are fried and served with a dip made from yogurt, garlic and dill. Or baked with eggs, flour and dill, I guess such as a casserole. Egyptians like to cook their zucchini with tomato sauce, garlic and onions.
When I took the Master Gardener Program through WSU one of the women in the program canned her home grown vegetables and fruits and gave me the following recipes for Zucchini Relish and Zucchini Jam and both are very good.
I hope you enjoy the recipes listed below and remember, a zucchini a day will keep your friends away!
Zucchini Relish (recipe from Master Gardener friend, Elizabeth)
10 cups zucchini, chopped
3 cups onion, chopped
5 Tbl. canning salt
2 Tbl. cornstarch
3 green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
3 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 Tbl. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbl. celery seed
1 Tbl. turmeric
6 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups cider vinegar
In a large pan, add zucchini and onions and sprinkle salt over them and let stand overnight. In the morning, rinse well. Stir in all the other ingredients and cook for 30 minutes. Prepare canning jars by washing well and sterilizing, including lids. Ladle cooked mixture into jars leaving 1/4-inch headspace and process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Remember, always use very sanitary jars, lids and proceed per canning instructions. Should you have any questions, google any extension office and you will find information.
Zucchini Jam (recipe from Master Gardener friend, Elizabeth)
6 cups zucchini, peeled and grated
1/4 cup water
1 package Sure-Jell Pectin
5 cups sugar
13 ounces crushed pineapple
6 oz. apricot jello
In a large pan, boil zucchini in water until soft. Add Sure Jell and bring to hard boil. Add sugar and pineapple, boil 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add apricot jello, stirring well. Fill sterilized jars and process in boiling water canner for 5 minutes for zero to 1,000 feet. Over 1,000 feet for 10 minutes.
Julia's Breakfast Casserole
8 eggs
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
3 cups zucchini, grated (do not peel)
1 onion, chopped
2 cups black forest ham, diced
1 1/2 cups ruby red plum tomatoes, chopped and seeds removed
1/2 cup fresh basil, sliced
4 cups French bread, cubed
olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Tabasco, I like a lot
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated (for topping do not add to ingredients)
4 Tbl. Italian parsley, chopped for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a saute pan, add some oil and onion, cook until softened, cool. Add ham and brown up a little, set aside to cool. In large bowl, beat the eggs. Add ricotta and beat until smooth. Mix in the Parmesan, onions, ham, Tabasco, salt and pepper.
Place chopped tomatoes on paper towels to remove excess moisture. Add tomatoes, zucchini and basil to egg mixture. Add bread cubes to mixture and mix well.
Spray a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray and pour in mixture. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until puffed up and lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and add extra cheese, place under broiler until cheese has melted and is bubbly. Remove to cooling rack and let rest 10 minutes before cutting into pieces. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Char Grilled Zucchini Quesadillas
4 zucchini, halved lengthwise
6 whole scallions
1 red bell pepper
1 jalapeno, seeded
1 tsp. chili powder
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups Pepper Jack cheese, shredded
vegetable oil
8 flour tortillas
1 cup Salsa, drained
Sour Cream, garnish
Salsa for garnish
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
several red radishes, sliced (garnish)
Heat grill, brush zucchini, jalapeno, scallions and red bell pepper with oil and grill for a few minutes. Chop all the vegetables and place in a bowl with beans, chili powder, salt, pepper and salsa, mix well. Place tortillas on work surface and brush one side lightly with vegetable oil, turn over and place some of the filling into each tortilla, add cheese to each tortilla and fold over. Carefully place tortillas on grill and let get golden and grill marks on one side. Carefully, turn over and grill other side. Remove to cutting board and slice in half, place on serving platter add dollop of sour cream, a spoonful of salsa, sprinkling of cilantro and radishes.
Zucchini Carbonara (my daughter Brittany's recipe from CA)
1 lb. spaghetti
5 egg yolks
1/2 lb. pancetta
2 cups Parmesan cheese, grated
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 zucchini, sliced
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional, but I love them)
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped
In a large pot of boiling salted water, add pasta and cook al dente. Drain and drizzle with a little olive oil to prevent sticking. In a large saute pan, add pancetta and cook until crisp, remove to paper towels, add a little olive oil and cook onion, garlic until softened, add zucchini and cook a couple of minutes. In a bowl, whisk the eggs, add heavy cream. Add pasta to pan with vegetables, add egg mixture and toss well, add cooked pancetta and cheese, mixing well. Season with salt and lots of black pepper and red pepper flakes. Sprinkle with parsley and place on serving platter. Serve with garlic bread and crisp salad with vinaigrette dressing.
Julia's Ratatouille - here is my take on this wonderful versatile dish. It can be eaten as side dish, served warm or chilled. Mixed with cooked pasta and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. Served over grilled swordfish or halibut. It's so healthy and we absolutely love it.
2 medium eggplants, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 medium zucchinis, cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 green bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch strips
2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch strips
1 large onion, julienne cut
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 Tbl. fresh oregano
2 Tbl. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbl. fresh basil, chopped
1/2 tsp. herbes de Provence
3 ruby red tomatoes, large chop
2 cups Greek olives, pitted
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
Place the eggplant and zucchini in a colander and sprinkle with kosher salt, let drain for 30 minutes. Rinse and dry the vegetables, pour lemon juice over and set aside. Heat oil in large saute pan over medium heat. Cook the onion, peppers and garlic until tender, stirring often. Add the eggplant and zucchini. Cook for about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes until tomatoes are soft. Add salt, pepper, herbes de Provence and oregano, stir in olives and cook for about 1 minute. Taste and adjust seasonings. Pour onto platter and sprinkle with fresh basil. You can serve this warm or room temp. I love it served room temp. on a piece of crusty Italian bread. YUMMM
Julia's Zucchini Boats
1/2 lb. ground turkey or beef (if you are a vegetarian, replace meat with mushrooms)
6 large zucchini, halved lengthwise
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup Mozzarella cheese, grated
2 cups Marinara sauce
1 medium onion, chopped finely
1 egg, beaten
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped
1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a saute pan, add a little olive oil and cook turkey, onions, and garlic, when cooked add to large bowl. With a melon baller, remove a little of the zucchini, but do not pierce skin. Mix excess zucchini (chop) in with turkey mixture. Add parsley, bread crumbs, egg and 1/2 cup sauce, season with salt, pepper and mix well.
In a 13x9 baking pan, drizzle in a some olive oil, add zucchini and overfill zucchini with turkey mixture. Pour over extra sauce on each filled zucchini and top with mozzarella cheese. Cook for 30 minutes and place under broiler until cheese is bubbly.
Julia's Zucchini Fritters (love these)
2 medium zucchini
4 scallions, chopped including green part
1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbl. fresh lemon zest
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. Tabasco
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup all purpose flour
olive oil
Grate zucchini onto paper towels. Add zucchini to large bowl with parsley, garlic, salt, pepper, Tabasco, zest and eggs. Mix well to incorporate. Add the flour little at a time so you don't get lumps.
Heat oil in large saute pan and add a couple of Tbl. of batter to pan and form a patty. Cook about 3 minutes per side until golden. Place on platter to serve, garnish with parsley sprigs.
Dorothy's Chocolate Zucchini Cake (my mom's recipe and it's very good)
2 cups zucchini, shredded (do not peel)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder (good quality)
1 cup chocolate chips
Ganache Frosting
9 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped (good quality)
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
For frosting; add chopped chocolate to bowl. Heat whipping cream until bubbles appear around sides of pan, pour cream over chocolate, allow to stand 5 minutes then stir until creamy. The longer ganache sits the thicker it gets, you want a pourable ganache.
Cake
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In large mixing bowl, with electric beater, cream butter and sugar together, add oil, vanilla, baking soda, baking powder and salt, beat in eggs on at a time. Stir in the sour cream alternately with flour. Add cocoa and mix until smooth consistency. Fold in zucchini and chocolate chips.
Place batter into lightly greased 13x9 baking pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven to cooling rack. When cooled, pour over ganache frosting and smooth over cake. Or if you want a thicker frosting, let ganache set up for a while and spread on cooled cake. It's simply delicious!!
Easy Zucchini Gratin
4 medium to large zucchini, sliced into 1-inch pieces
2 shallots, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbl. butter
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
2/3 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
4 Tbl. Italian parsley, chopped
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a large saute pan, melt butter and add zucchini, shallots and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add cream and cook abut 5 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup bread crumbs and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Place in baking dish and sprinkle with remaining bread crumbs and cheese. Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes or until golden. Remove and sprinkle with parsley.
Julia's Zucchini Bread
2 cups zucchini, shredded (do not peel)
2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
3 eggs
3 cups all puprpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 Tbl. fresh orange zest
1 cup pecans, lightly toasted and chopped (optional, if you don't like nuts)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl of electric mixer, cream sugar and oil. Add eggs, one at a time beating well after each addition. In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Blend into wet ingredients. Fold in zucchini, zest, vanilla and nuts. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans, evenly distribute batter. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, remove to cooling rack and let cool for about 15 minutes before turning out. If desired, you can add a glaze on top of bread.
Glaze: Mix 1/2 cup powdered sugar with a little fresh orange juice and orange zest. You don't want it too thin, so add a little at a time. Drizzle over bread if desired.
Zucchini Bars (this is my sister Sandy's recipe)
Crust
4 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups cold butter, cubed
1 tsp. cinnamon (for sprinkling over crust)
Filling
8 cups zucchini, peeled, seeded and chopped
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In large saucepan add lemon juice and zucchini and cook for about 20 minutes until zucchini is tender. Add the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg; simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside.
Crust: In a bowl, combine the flour and sugar and cut in the butter until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 1/2 cup of zucchini mixture into crust mixture. Press half of remaining crust mixture into 15x10 inch baking pan. Spread zucchini over top and crumble remaining crust mixture over zucchii. Sprinkle with cinamon. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Remove to cooling rack and cool. Cut into bars. Serve with vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream.
Bon Appetit
"A joyful heart makes a cheerful face."
Proverbs 15:13
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