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.