Zucchini

Cucurbita pepo

To the home gardener, prolific zucchini are the rabbits of the Cucurbit world, thus earning this summer squash a reputation for being given away to people already weary of too much of a good thing. Zucchinis do not keep, however, and just as quickly as the floodgates of summer open to overflowing armfuls of this succulent green vegetable, they are gone as soon as cold weather nips the vines.

Like many vegetables, zucchini is best as a small package. Zucchinis that are 6 inches long or under are the most succulent. Anything over 8 inches (or a foot long) tend to be tasteless and are more fit for the compost heap than the dinner table.

These vines are astoundingly productive, but if you happen to have one or more in your garden, you can help stem the flow of fruits by indulging in another of life’s culinary pleasures—squash blossoms, a delectable treat when stuffed and delicately fried, or made into a quesadilla.

History

Zucchini was relatively unknown in America until surprisingly recently. Although both summer and winter squashes are one of humanity’s oldest foods, zucchini was mostly confined to Europe in general and Italy in particular, where its culinary uses expanded and developed.

In the mid-1900s, Italian immigrants brought this green summer squash to America. From then on, its popularity in the United States grew nearly as quickly as a healthy plant in July.

Like many summer squashes, zucchini was often not well liked in Europe outside of its home country. In particular, the French shunned it until they learned to use just the smallest, most succulent fruits; they call them courgettes, which also refers to yellow summer squash.

Nutrition

Zucchinis are mostly water (over 95 percent) and thus are extremely low in calories (a single cup contains only 36). Like other summer squashes, zucchini contains significant amounts of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as manganese, magnesium, potassium, copper, folate, and dietary fiber.

Season

Commercially, zucchini is widely grown and in season year-round. You’ll find them at their best in farmers markets and CSAs from midsummer through early fall.

Selection

Zucchinis taste best when they are still quite young, tender, and small—about 2 to 8 inches long. Avoid zucchinis that are any bigger, for they may be bitter, tough, and tasteless. Choose firm, plump specimens with unblemished skins and no bruised, shriveled, or watery areas.

Storage

Zucchini is a rather perishable vegetable; avoid washing it until just before using, and keep it wrapped in a dry paper towel inside a plastic bag in the refrigerator vegetable crisper for up to 4 days.

Trimming and Cleaning

Like most summer squash, zucchinis need little preparation. Just wash them thoroughly and slice into the desired-size pieces. Peeling their thin skins is usually not necessary.

Steaming and Boiling

Zucchini and other summer squashes tend to be watery when cooked, so either choose cooking methods that dry them out a bit, or avoid those that may exacerbate this characteristic. For this reason, steaming zucchini is far preferable to boiling, which yields an incredibly sodden vegetable. Steam 1-inch chunks for 10 to 15 minutes, or until they become tender.

Stir-Frying and Sautéing

Cut zucchini into thin strips or slices; coat with oil, butter, or soy sauce; and stir-fry or sauté over high heat for 3 to 6 minutes, or until it becomes tender and lightly browned on the edges.

Baking and Roasting

Baking is a good way to prepare zucchini, especially with other vegetables such as onions, peppers, and tomatoes. Layer them in a casserole dish with herbs and seasonings of your choice, drizzle with olive oil, cover, and bake in a 350°F oven for 45 minutes.

Grilling

Zucchini responds well to grilling, especially the larger fruits. Use about twice what you think you will want, as they will soften and shrink considerably. Trim the ends from about 2 pounds of zucchini; cut them into ¼-inch slabs and slather them with either olive oil (you’ll need salt and pepper, too), ½ cup Italian salad dressing, or other vinaigrette if desired. Grill over a medium-hot fire until they are soft and somewhat charred, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Microwaving

Trim off the stem ends; cut the zucchini into ¼-inch slices and put in a microwave-safe dish with ¼ cup water; cover and cook on high power.

• 1½ cups = 3 to 4 minutes
• 1 pound = 6 to 7 minutes

Blanching and Freezing

Zucchini can be frozen, but like most vegetables, it must be blanched first. Wash, trim off the stem ends, and cut into slices or strips. Blanch in rapidly boiling water for 3 minutes, then plunge the zucchini into ice water for 5 minutes to stop the cooking process. Remove and drain. Package the zucchini in zipper-lock freezer or vacuum food sealer-type bags, or freezer containers. Squeeze out any excess air and leave ½ inch of headspace (unless you are using the vacuum sealing method).

You can freeze shredded zucchini for future batches of zucchini bread. Simply shred the zucchini manually or in a food processor and package it in recipe-size amounts in zipper-lock freezer or vacuum food sealer-type bags. Squeeze out any excess air.

You can also prepare seasoned and breaded zucchini for freezing by cutting the desired number of squash into wedges or sticks. Moisten them with water and dredge them in a mixture of cornmeal or breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. Arrange the sticks on a baking sheet lined with wax paper and place in the freezer. Once the sticks are frozen, package them in a freezer bag. When you are ready to use them, simply take out what you need and deep-fry—no need to thaw them first.

Frozen zucchini will keep for up to 3 months at 0°F.

Measures and Equivalents

• 3 medium zucchini = 1 pound or about 3 cups sliced or chopped

Complementary Herbs, Seasonings, and Foods

Basil, beans, breadcrumbs, butter, capers, cayenne, cheese (Asiago, feta, goat, Monterey Jack, Parmesan), chives, cilantro, corn, cream, cumin, curry, dill, eggplant, eggs, garlic, lemons, marjoram, mint, mushrooms, nutmeg, olive oil, onions, oregano, parsley, peppers, pesto, pine nuts, rice, rosemary, sage, salmon, sausage, tarragon, thyme, tomatoes, vinegar, walnuts, yogurt.

Serving Suggestions

• Combine with eggs, tomatoes, and basil to make a summer frittata.
• If you find yourself with extra marinated and grilled zucchini, add them to almost any type of sandwich the next day for a burst of smoky flavor.
• Roast zucchini with sliced onions, olive oil, salt, pepper, and other herbs and seasonings.
• Shred zucchini (shred the outer, “meatier” portions only, leaving the seedy interior behind) along with carrots, cucumbers, and cabbage for an unusual coleslaw.
• Sauté coins of zucchini with other summer squashes of contrasting colors—yellow and light green, for instance—and dress with fresh herbs and garlic for a lovely summer dish.
• Add diced, sautéed zucchini to salads and pasta dishes.
• Thinly slice zucchini and use it like cucumbers in sandwiches and hoagies.
• Cut zucchini into thin strips or thin rounds and serve with other fresh vegetables for dipping.
• Roast sliced zucchini that has been brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with lemon pepper at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes, or until tender.
• Stuff zucchini by coring out the centers of the bigger squash, then stuffing with a mixture of vegetables, ground meat, tofu, cooked garbanzo beans, herbs, and seasonings. Bake, covered, with or without tomato sauce, at 350°F for 45 to 60 minutes.
• Of course, if all else fails, make that old standby—zucchini bread or muffins.

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Zucchini and Pork Stir Fry

½ lb of ground pork
2 zucchini
1-2 teaspoons of salt
2 cloves of garlic – minced
2 tablespoons of chili garlic sauce

1. Wash and cut zucchini into slices and mince the two cloves of garlic
2. Fry the ground pork in a deep sauce pan. Cook the pink out of the pork.
3. Add chili garlic sauce into the pan.
4. Add all the zucchini and stir the garlic sauce. Garlic chili sauce should cover the dish.
5. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 5 minutes until the zucchini is tender.
6. Add salt to taste.

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Baked Chicken and Zucchini Gratin

Serves 4

1 egg
1 tablespoon water
¾ teaspoon salt, divided
⅛ teaspoon pepper
1 cup dry breadcrumbs
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
4 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil, divided
5 medium zucchinis, sliced
4 medium tomatoes, sliced
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
2 teaspoons minced fresh basil

1. In a shallow bowl, whisk the egg, water, ½ teaspoon of the salt, and pepper.
2. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the breadcrumbs. Place the remaining crumbs in a large zipper-lock bag. Dip the chicken in the egg mixture, then place it in the bag and shake to coat.
3. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
4. In a skillet heated to medium-high, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Cook the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until it turns golden brown. Remove and set aside.
5. In the same skillet, sauté the zucchini slices in the remaining oil until they are crisp-tender; drain. Transfer to a greased 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle the reserved breadcrumbs over the zucchini. Top with the tomato slices; sprinkle with ⅔ cup of the mozzarella, the basil, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Top with the chicken.
6. Cover and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella. Bake 10 minutes longer, or until the cheese is melted.

— Mariquita Farm, Watsonville, California

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Pickled Mixed Vegetable Salad

Serves 6

Source Note: This salad is a terrific way to use up all sorts of vegetables that tend to pile up in the lush days of late summer. You can substitute yellow or any young summer squash for the zucchini, or use cucumber, thinly sliced carrots or okra, broccoli, and even Asian eggplant rounds in place of some of the other veggies.

2 medium zucchinis, thinly sliced
3 or 4 radishes, sliced
½ medium white onion, chopped
⅓ cup coarsely diced green bell pepper
1 cup sliced cauliflower
1 medium tomato, cut into bite-size pieces
3 to 4 sprigs parsley, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely diced and crushed
Several leaves of chopped fresh basil
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
⅔ cup sugar
⅔ cup vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Onion or garlic powder
Parmesan cheese, grated

1. Toss the zucchini, radishes, onion, green peppers, cauliflower, tomato, parsley, garlic, and basil together in a bowl. Sprinkle with the olive oil and lemon juice.
2. Dissolve the sugar and vinegar in a saucepan over medium heat. Pour over the salad. Season to taste with salt, pepper, onion powder, and Parmesan cheese.
3. Chill for several hours before serving, stirring occasionally to distribute the juices.

— Betty Culp, Daisies Do Tell…A Recipe Book

From Bounty from the Box: The CSA Farm Cookbook, by Mi Ae Lipe