Enough with the zucchini jokes already. They can hear us.
Anyone feeling saddled by too much of the prolific summer squash--whether you are growing it, finding it in your CSA share every week, or trying to outrun herds of it in your dreams at night--ought to pay close attention.
Even those simply underwhelmed by it should listen up.
Suffering from what I call a disparate skin vs. interior texture, zucchini is best cooked into crispy oblivion or hardly at all.
Since the former obliterates any health benefits, I embellish the latter with almonds left alone to luster up in a sheen of olive oil before being joined by matchsticks that downplay the squash's skin-to-interior differential.
Swaths of Parmigiano and a scattering of basil turns the garden's albatross into dinnertime's darling.
Zucchini and almond sauté
Serves 2
Inspired by the Chelsea restaurant, Red Cat
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 Tbsp. slivered almonds
- 2 small zucchini, cut into 1/8-inch matchsticks with a knife or a mandoline's julienne blade
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- A hunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano
- the leaves from a sprig of fresh basil, roughly torn
In a large sauté pan set over medium-high heat, bring the oil to a shimmer. Add the almonds and cook, stirring often, until they're Banana Boat brown and intensely aromatic--about 2 minutes.
Add the zucchini to the almonds (and the nutty brown olive oil) and toss just until the matchsticks are coated and warmed through--nary a minute.
Season properly with salt and pepper, then bless the dish with shavings of cheese created with a vegetable peeler. Finish with basil and serve pronto.