Zucchini, the underrated vegetable....

I seriously love zucchini, but it is tricky to cook, without it being soggy and unappealing. I've found a few recipes lately that I really love (also check out the zucchini crab cakes I posted!). The first one is from Cooks' Illustrated, and I think I made it twice in a week, after I "discovered" it. The best part is that it's SO simple.

(annoyed that this is sideways? So am I...can't figure out how to rotate it on here...)

Grilled Zucchini Salad with Tomatoes and Basil

Serves 6. Published July 1, 1995.

Grilled zucchini can also be marinated in a vinaigrette made with red wine vinegar. Feel free to use any fresh herb on hand in the dressing. Grilled zucchini can be served right from the grill as a simple side dish with grilled meats, poultry, or fish.

Ingredients

6	medium zucchini (about 2 pounds), rinsed, trimmed, and sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick planks (see illustration below)
1/4	cup olive oil
	ground black pepper
2	tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2	ripe tomatoes , large, cored, and cut into thin wedges
2	tablespoons minced fresh basil leaves

Instructions

1. Heat grill. Lay zucchini on large baking sheet and brush both sides with 2 tablespoons of the oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

2. When grill rack is hot, use stiff wire brush to scrape surface clean. Grill zucchini until dark grill marks are visible on one side, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn and continue to grill until other side is marked, about 2 minutes. Remove from grill and cool briefly.

3. Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons oil with balsamic vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss tomatoes and basil with dressing in large bowl.
   

4. Cut grilled zucchini into 1-inch pieces. Toss with tomatoes and dressing. Adjust seasonings and serve. (Can be covered and set aside at room temperature for up to 3 hours at this point.)

I love making dishes like this in the summer/fall b/c I have fresh herbs and tomatoes growing, which makes it easier to whip something like this together. I served it with grilled chicken breasts and curried red potatoes (more on that another time).

The next recipe is also from Cooks' Illustrated.

Sauteed Zucchini with Walnuts and Herbs

Serves 4. Published July 1, 1995.

Salt causes zucchini rounds to release excess water. This important extra step helps the zucchini to sauté rather than stew in its own juices. Quarter-inch slices are the perfect thickness. Thinner slices fall apart during cooking; thicker slices require a longer salting time. If you want to use more intense herbs such as oregano, thyme, or rosemary, halve the amount of herbs indicated in the recipe. If you do not have kosher salt on hand, use a teaspoon or so of regular table salt.

Ingredients

4	medium zucchini (about 1 1/3 pounds), rinsed, trimmed, and sliced crosswise into rounds about 1/4-inch thick (see illustration below)
	kosher salt
3	tablespoons olive oil
1	small onion or 2 large shallots, minced
2	tablespoons minced fresh herb
2	tablespoons toasted, chopped walnuts
	Ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Place zucchini slices in colander and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt. Set colander over bowl until about 1/3 cup water drains from zucchini, about 30 minutes. Rinse and thoroughly dry zucchini.

2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions or shallots; sauté until almost softened, about 3 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high; add zucchini and sauté until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

3. Stir in walnuts and herbs, and season with pepper to taste. Adjust seasonings and serve immediately.

I used fresh parsley (again, love that it's in my back yard) for the herb portion of this recipe. These were seriously tasty. I had never salted my zucchini before, and I really do think it helped with the soggy aspect. I'll definitely be making these again. Sorry, I didn't take a pic, the kids were about to implode!

Tonight I'm using the spare zucchini from last night (I had an extra), left over meatloaf, and making a fritatta/oven omlette. We'll see how it turns out! I'm getting to use my cast iron skillet again! :o)

Skillet Penne with Sausage and Spinach and Greek Cherry Tomato Salad

My friend Lauren just introduced me to Cooks Illustrated. I know they have a written publication, but she clued me into the website. I think I'm in love. I know I'll continue to use allrecipes.com, but it will be nice to have another option. The nice change about cooks illustrated is that it does NOT have reviews. The recipes have already been perfected by their experts. They also include some possible substitutions, and videos to demonstrate techniques. It does cost $14.95 a year, but I think I'll get my money's worth out of it. Here are the recipes I'm using today:



Skillet Penne with Sausage and Spinach (directly from cooksillustrated.com)

Use either hot or sweet Italian-style turkey (or chicken) sausage here. Pork sausage can be substituted, but you will have to drain off the extra fat before adding the pasta. When you are adding the spinach, it may seem like a lot at first, but it wilts down substantially. Ziti can also be used here.

Ingredients

1	tablespoon olive oil
1	pound hot or sweet Italian turkey sausage , casings removed
3	cloves minced garlic
2 1/4	cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 1/4	cups water
8	ounces penne pasta (2 1/2 cups)
1/2	cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes , rinsed and chopped fine
	Table salt and ground black pepper
1	(6-ounce) bag baby spinach
1/2	cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4	cup pine nuts , toasted

Instructions

1. Brown Sausage: Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add sausage, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

2. Simmer Penne: Stir in broth, water, penne, tomatoes, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Increase heat to high and cook, stirring often, until penne is tender and liquid has thickened, 15 to 18 minutes.

3. Wilt Spinach: Stir in spinach, handful at time, and cook until wilted. Off heat, stir in Parmesan and nuts. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Greek Cherry Tomato Salad (I used grape tomatoes)

Serves 4 to 6. Published July 1, 2008. From Cook's Illustrated.

If in-season cherry tomatoes are unavailable, substitute vine-ripened cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes from the supermarket. Cut grape tomatoes in half along the equator (rather than quartering them). If you don’t have a salad spinner, after the salted tomatoes have stood for 30 minutes, wrap the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and gently shake to remove seeds and excess liquid. Strain the liquid and proceed with the recipe as directed. The amount of liquid given off by the tomatoes will depend on their ripeness. If you have less than 1/2 cup of juice after spinning, proceed with the recipe using the entire amount of juice and reduce it to 3 tablespoons as directed (the cooking time will be shorter).

Ingredients

2	pints cherry tomatoes , ripe, quartered (about 4 cups) (see note)
	Table salt
1/2	teaspoon sugar
2	medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
1/2	teaspoon dried oregano
1	medium shallot , minced (about 3 tablespoons)
1	tablespoon red wine vinegar
2	tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
	Ground black pepper
1	small cucumber , peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2	cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
4	ounces feta cheese , crumbled (about 1 cup)
3	tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Instructions

1. Toss tomatoes, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and sugar in medium bowl; let stand for 30 minutes. Transfer tomatoes to salad spinner and spin until seeds and excess liquid have been removed, 45 to 60 seconds, stirring to redistribute tomatoes several times during spinning. Return tomatoes to bowl and set aside. Strain tomato liquid through fine-mesh strainer into liquid measuring cup, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible.

2. Bring 1/2 cup tomato liquid (discard any extra), garlic, oregano, shallot, and vinegar to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until reduced to 3 tablespoons, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer mixture to small bowl and cool to room temperature, about 5 minutes. Whisk in oil and pepper to taste until combined. Taste and season with up to 1/8 teaspoon table salt.

3. Add cucumber, olives, feta, dressing, and parsley to bowl with tomatoes; toss gently and serve.

The result: both of these dishes were insanely good! There isn't anything that I will change for next time. The tomato salad was a bit more labor intensive than I would have expected, but the wonderful flavor was worth it. I halved the tomato salad recipe b/c I only had a pint of tomatoes (from my backyard :o).

And if anyone is noticing a trend....yes, I'm drawn to "one dish wonders". That is, dishes that have meat/starch/veggie all in one. I just love knowing that all I have to think about is MAYBE a salad to add to it- and that's optional. The salad today was actually where most of the prep work was needed.

Pasta with Chicken and Asparagus and Spinach and Ham Pinwheels

Tonight's a repeat night (as far as the blog's concerened). We're having Pasta with Chicken and Asparagus and Spinach and Ham Pinwheels. My sister in law Jen gave me the recipe for the pinwheels...they didn't have a title, so that's what I'm calling them :o) Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:
1 8oz. can Pillsbury Refrigerated Crescent Dinner Rolls
6 tbl garlic herb spreadable cheese
6 slices cooked deli ham
24-30 fresh spinach leaves

Directions:
Heat oven to 350. Separate dough into 4 rectangles, pressing perforations to seal. Spread rectangles w/ cheese to within 1/4 inch of edges: top with ham and spinach. Starting at the shortest side, roll up each rectangle, press edges to seal after you roll. Cut each roll into 6 slices. Place Cut sides down on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 12-18 min or until golden brown. Makes 24 appetizers.



The result: For starters, I greased my cookie sheet, b/c I don't trust it! The pinwheels were AWESOME! I totally could've eaten the whole pan! If you don't like salty stuff, they're probably not for you, but I loved them! I used the Aloutte garlic and herb spread- it seemed to work well! Next time I'll be sure to wrap them really tight, b/c I felt like some of them were falling apart after I cut them, but they still turned out fine.

A quickie add on- Tomato Salad. This is something I've thrown together many times, it's based on a recipe my friend Kim uses. It's a great way for me to use the grape tomatoes growing in my garden.

Ingredients:
1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise (can also used other diced tomatoes)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup shredded or diced mozzerella (I LOVE fresh mozzerella the best, but didn't have any today)
3-4 fresh basil leaves, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
1 clove garlic, finely minced

Directions:
Combine all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour