Just Had to give you more Zucchini Recipes!

UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_73

When I went out to pick more zucchini and yellow squash, it got me wondering how many of you are growing zucchini. Or being gifted from somebody’s garden. I’m pretty sure I’m right when I say most of you.

That’s why requests to use this seasonal veggie are coming in.

A west side reader asked: “Will you share your zucchini ribbon recipe with ricotta?” Another reader needed a zucchini tomato casserole. My answer to both is yes, I can do that.

Zucchini ribbons and tomato salad with ricotta

This is an updated version of a favorite.

Ingredients

2-3 tablespoons lemon juice with honey to taste — start with a generous teaspoon

Good handful torn basil leaves plus extra for garnish

1/2 cup olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 medium zucchini — use a vegetable peeler to slice into ribbons

Grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in half or larger ones, cut up, about 2 cups

Ricotta cheese

Instructions

Whisk together lemon juice, honey, basil, salt and olive oil.

Toss squash and tomatoes together. Season to taste.

Divide dressing in half and toss half with the veggie mixture.

Place on platter, dollop on ricotta and drizzle with rest of dressing. Finish with a grinding of pepper and basil.

Zucchini and tomato casserole with butter crumb crust

Ingredients

1-1/2 to 2 cups cheddar or Italian blend cheese, shredded

1/2 cup Romano or Parmesan, shredded

Palmful fresh oregano, minced or 1 teaspoon dried

Palmful fresh basil, minced or 1 teaspoon dried

2-3 teaspoons garlic, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

2 nice sized medium zucchini, sliced thin

4-5 tomatoes, sliced thin

For crumb crust

5 tablespoons butter

Palmful onion chives, minced or 2 tablespoons onion, minced

1 cup fresh bread crumbs

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 9” square pan or casserole.

Mix cheeses, herbs, garlic, salt and pepper.

Put half the zucchini in pan. Sprinkle 1/4 of cheese mixture on top.

Add half the tomatoes on top, then another 1/4 of cheese mixture.

Repeat layers.

Melt butter, then stir in chives and cook until a bit soft. Stir in breadcrumbs until mixed.

Sprinkle on top.

Tent with foil and bake 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

Readers want to know:

Canning salt vs regular.

The recipe for bread and butter pickles I shared recently recommended canning salt but I said for that particular recipe you could use regular salt. With this pandemic, I’m not sure you can find canning salt.

Canning salt is pure, fine grained salt, without additives, and should be used in pickling if you can.

Regular salt may contain additives for easy flow, and also may contain iodine.

Canning salt produces a brine that is clear; regular salt might make it a bit cloudy. If it contains iodine, it may make the pickles dark.

Regardless of the salt you use, measure the salt correctly, by weight measurement instead of a volume if you can.

According to livinghomegrown.com, kosher salt as a good sub, since it weighs about the same as canning.

Coming soon: fire & ice pickles – 2 recipes!

About Eating

From Rita Heikenfeld

Just Had to give you more Zucchini Recipes!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Share this:

Like this:

Related

Leave a Reply Cancel reply