Re: I have a ton of zucchini

Re: I have a ton of zucchini

we made this last night (can you tell we have a ton of zucchini) - just make sure your bacon stops sizziling before you add the egg mixture otherwise the eggs will scramble....



Zucchini Carbonara
from Jaime Oliver

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 medium green and yellow zucchini
1 pound penne
4 large free-range or organic egg yolks
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 good handfuls freshly grated Parmesan
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
12 thick slices pancetta or lean bacon, cut into chunky pieces
A small bunch fresh thyme, leaves picked and chopped, flowers reserved (if you can get hold of flowering thyme)
Optional: a few zucchini flowers

Before you start cooking, it's important to get yourself a very large pan, or use a high-sided roasting pan so you can give the pasta a good toss.
Put a large pan of salted water on to boil. Halve and then quarter any larger zucchini lengthwise. Cut out and discard any fluffy middle bits, and slice the zucchini at an angle into pieces roughly the same size and shape as the penne. Smaller zucchini can simply be sliced finely. Your water will now be boiling, so add the penne to the pan and cook according to the package instructions.

To make your creamy carbonara sauce, put the egg yolks into a bowl, add the cream and half the Parmesan, and mix together with a fork. Season lightly with salt and pepper and set aside.

Heat a very large frying pan (a 14-inch is a good start - every house should have one!), add a good splash of olive oil and fry the pancetta or bacon until dark brown and crisp. Add the zucchini slices and 2 big pinches of black pepper, not just to season but to give it a bit of a kick. Sprinkle in the thyme leaves, give everything a stir, so the zucchini is coated with all the lovely bacon-flavored oil, and fry until they start to turn lightly golden and have softened slightly.

It's very important to get this next bit right or your carbonara could end up ruined. You need to work quickly. When the pasta is cooked, drain it, reserving a little of the cooking water. Immediately, toss the pasta in the pan with the zucchini, bacon and lovely flavors, then remove from the heat and add a ladleful of the reserved cooking water and your creamy sauce. Stir together quickly. (No more cooking now, otherwise you'll scramble the eggs.)

Get everyone around the table, ready to eat straightaway. While you're tossing the pasta and sauce, sprinkle in the rest of the Parmesan and a little more of the cooking water if needed, to give you a silky and shiny sauce. Taste quickly for seasoning. If you've managed to get any zucchini flowers, tear them over the top, then serve and eat immediately, as the sauce can become thick and stodgy if left too long.

Re: I have a ton of zucchini

Re: I have a ton of zucchini

I sautee them and add them to a marinara sauce and serve over pasta. It's DELISH!

Re: I have a ton of zucchini

zUcchini pancakes

Re: I have a ton of zucchini

This is an awesome Recipe from Rachael Ray Magazine..

Zucchini Fritter with Roasted Red Pepper Dip

4 zucchini (about 1 1/2 pounds total)
Salt
2 large eggs
Pepper
1/2 cup flour
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus more as needed
One 12-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained
1 clove garlic, smashed and peeled
Hot pepper sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Place a cooking rack on a baking sheet and set aside. Using the large holes on a box grater, grate the zucchini into a large colander. Toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt and let stand for 10 minutes. Place the colander in the sink and press the zucchini firmly with paper towels to remove all the excess moisture.

2. In a large bowl, wisk the eggs with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper until light and frothy. Using a wisk stir in the zucchini, then the flour.

3. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. working in 3 batches, drop in the fritter batter by rounded tablespoons, gently flattening with the back of the spoon, and cook, turning once until the fritters are browned 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while cooking the remaining batches; add more olive oil to the skillet as needed.

4. Using a food processor, Puree the red peppers with the garlic, the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and hot pepper sauce to taste. Serve the dip with the warm fritters.

This recipe is so yum, and the hubby is looking at me now asking when I'm making them again. Enjoy

Re: I have a ton of zucchini

Re: I have a ton of zucchini

I saw this on Allrecipies.com and I thought it looked cool, I'm gonna try it this week I think.

Zucchini 'Crab' Cakes

2 1/2 cups grated zucchini
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup minced onion
1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning TM
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup vegetable oil for frying


In a large bowl, combine zucchini, egg, and butter or margarine. Stir in seasoned crumbs, minced onion, and seasoning. Mix well.

Shape mixture into patties. Dredge in flour.

In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium high heat until hot. Fry patties in oil until golden brown on both sides.

Re: I have a ton of zucchini

I made some chocolate chip orange zucchini bread. Sounds strange but its very tasty!!!
zucchini bread
INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
3 eggs
2 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon orange zest
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg



DIRECTIONS
Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and spices.
In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and fluffy. Add sugar, and continue beating until well blended. Stir in oil, vanilla, zucchini, nuts, chocolate chips, and orange rind. Blend in sifted ingredients. Turn batter into two greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pans.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 50 minutes, or until bread tests done. Remove loaves from pans, and cool. Chill before slicing.

Re: I have a ton of zucchini

bumping for Heather

Re: I have a ton of zucchini

these are great - thank you soooo much

Re: I have a ton of zucchini

Re: I have a ton of zucchini

Re: I have a ton of zucchini

BUMP for zucchini ideas!

Re: I have a ton of zucchini

DH makes a great zuccini pasta sauce.

We also use zuccini in stirfry.

Re: I have a ton of zucchini

Re: I have a ton of zucchini

Chicken and Summer Vegetable Tostada (from Cooking Light)

1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons canola oil
12 ounces chicken breast tenders
1 cup chopped red onion (about 1)
1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)
1 cup chopped zucchini (about 4 ounces)
1/2 cup green salsa
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided
4 (8-inch) fat-free flour tortillas
Cooking spray
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese ( I use 2% milk Mexican)

Preheat broiler. Combine first 3 ingredients, stirring well. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the spice mixture evenly over chicken. Add chicken to pan; sauté for 3 minutes. Add onion, corn, and zucchini to pan; sauté for 2 minutes or until chicken is done. Stir in salsa and 2 tablespoons cilantro. Cook for 2 minutes.

Working with 2 tortillas at a time, arrange tortillas in a single layer on a baking sheet. Spoon about 3/4 cup chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla; sprinkle each serving with 1/4 cup cheese. Broil an additional 2 minutes or until cheese melts. Sprinkle each serving with about 3/4 teaspoon of remaining cilantro.

I modify this dish by cooking the chicken in a grill pan first. I also use red salsa that I make from scratch. In addition, I also use 2% cheese, frozen corn and whole wheat wraps.