Wednesday, June 27, 2012

New Crops Inspire Simple Dinner


I guess the warm winter has resulted in an early crop of zucchini at Quail Hill. I can't remember another summer when I was able to pick squash and shelling peas on the same day! Something else I don't remember, but I sure did appreciate yesterday--being able to dig fresh and juicy garlic bulbs directly from the ground. It's been awhile (at least a week) since I made a pizza, so I wanted to use my haul in a topping. I brushed my dough with lots of the chopped young garlic and some olive oil. Then I sauteed the zucchini with some butter and stirred in my preserved lemon. Serving the zucchini on the side, and spooning some of it onto the slices as I ate them, there was no danger that it would make my crispy flatbread soggy. Here is the zucchini recipe:

Sauteed Zucchini with Preserved Lemon and Mint
Serves 4

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 shallot, finely chopped
4 cups zucchini cut in half lengthwise and then cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
Salt
Ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped preserved lemons
1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh mint

Heat butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Add shallot and cook until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add zucchini, salt, and pepper to taste. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until zucchini releases most of its water and begins to brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in preserved lemon and mint and serve.

1 comment:

  1. I like that you served the seasoned zucchini on the side. Not only will the pizza not get soggy, but also the zucchini won't overcook. Wonderful that those veggies are available so early.

    Keep writing...

    ReplyDelete