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Category: Zucchini

  • Zucchini Butter

    Zucchini butter is spreadable rich, deeply flavored paste that you can put on toast or make into one of the best grilled cheese sandwiches you have ever had. You can top a pizza, or dip crackers or vegetables into this. You can mix it in, or top  any pasta dish with this too. The colors stays this vibrant green after cooking and storing.

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    It only takes about 35 or 40 minutes to make and it will last 2 weeks in the refrigerator or you can freeze it for up to 6 months.

    You just need a few ingredients.

    • 3 tablespoons olive oil (I have seen some recipes call for only butter. I used butter and olive oil)
    • 1 tablespoon butter
    • 2 or 3 garlic cloves grated (I grated mine with the zucchini)
    • 2 large zucchini=about 2 pounds, grated with a box grater or a food processor
    • any fresh herbs you like or have at hand. You can use dried herbs if you don’t have any fresh. I used fresh thyme and oregono
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Method

    Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and butter and melt. Grate the zucchini and garlic and add those to the melted butter and oil

    IMG_0704IMG_0706Cook for 15-20 minutes, the zucchini will start to lose it’s water and sort of look melted. Add any herbs you are  using now. See all the water cooking out?

    IMG_0713Reduce the heat and continue to cook, stirring often. Go slow so you don’t burn it. Be patient. You want the zucchini to be a spreadable consistency and not have any water visible in the pan. This is about 1/2 way there. There is still more moisture that needs to be cooked out…be patient….

    IMG_0716It took about 30-35 minutes for this batch to get to the right consistency. Like I said, be patient. When I move it around the pan there is no water and no steam coming off the pan when it is done.

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    Store any uneaten zucchini butter in a jar in the refrigerator or freeze it to enjoy when there isn’t any zucchini this winter.

    Have a great week.

    Mo

  • CSA Calzones and Pizza-again.

    I know I just posted a chard pizza a few weeks ago. Maybe it’s too soon to post another pizza blog? This will be the last one for a while. I promise. In my defense, pizza is a quick easy summer meal and it is a perfect vehicle for all the beautiful vegetables we get, like the zucchini and zucchini blossoms in this weeks share. I made some pizzas and calzones with them and took a few pictures to maybe inspire some meals for you.

    For the filling for the calzones I used the onions and parsley we got too, oh and some beet greens.

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    I sauteed all that in olive oil and salt and pepper until they were just tender. Then I mixed up the parsley with some ricotta and Parmesan cheese. I don’t measure anything. I just mix what I have up.

    I then rolled out some pizza dough in an oblong shape and piled the vegetables and cheese parsley mixture on half and pulled the other half over the filling and make some slits in the top of the dough to let the steam escape.

    My oven was about 450 degrees and it cooked in about 25 minutes.

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    And it was delicious.

    For the zucchini blossom pizza, I just threw some zucchini blossoms on a pizza with some cheese. In hindsight I wish I stuffed the blossoms with some of the ricotta mix and then put them on the pizza. Oh well. Next time.

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    There will be a next time too, I’m sure.

    Hope everyone is enjoying the summer vegetables. Have a great week.

    Mo

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Magical Mystery Muffins

    Yield: 2 loaves of bread or approximately 24 muffins

    • 3 eggs
    • 1 cup olive or vegetable oil
    • 1 3/4 cups sugar
    • 2 cups grated zucchini
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 3 cups all-purpose flour
    • 3 teaspoons cinnamon
    • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
    • 1 cup dried cranberries, raisins or chocolate chips or a combination thereof (optional)

    Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners (or grease and flour 2 8×4″ loaf pans).

    Grate your zucchini using a box grater, or a food processor if you have one. 2 cups is about half of a big zucchini or a whole medium zucchini. If you have a big one on hand, make a double batch with 24 muffins and 2 loaves of bread and freeze the bread for later. It really freezes well wrapped in plastic wrap a few times, and will be great to have a few months from now when you’re in zucchini withdrawals.

    Grated Zucchini

    In a large bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk. Add the oil, sugar, zucchini and vanilla.

    Whisking Ingredients

    In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients and then add to egg mixture.

    Pour batter into muffin cups and bake for about 20-25 minutes.

    Baked Muffins

    – Maddie

  • Chocolate Zucchini Bread

    adapted from Joy of Baking

    • 1 1/2 cups shredded raw zucchini
    • 1 cup white whole wheat flour
    • 1/2 cup (45 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted (not Dutch-processed)
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 cup safflower or canola oil
    • 1/2 cup (105 grams) light brown sugar
    • 2 large eggs
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • 3/4 cup (125 grams) semi-sweet chocolate chips and a handful of nuts.

    Preheat oven to 350F.

    Mix wet ingredients and dry ingredients in separate bowls then mix together. Fold in zucchini, chocolate chips, and nuts.

    Scrape batter into a greased 9×5 loaf pan and bake for 1 hour.

    I like to leave my zucchini really big when I bake bread with it. I like to see the vegetables, because then it is good for you, right?

    Chocolate Zucchini Mix

    Baked Bread

    – Mo

  • Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms

    You can eat the blossoms raw in a salad or they are really nice in a quesadilla. Just put it in with the cheese and it will soften with the melted cheese. The blossoms have a sort of ‘condensed’ zucchini flavor, but very mild. The stem is very tasty, so make sure you include that in whatever you make. Some recipes say to discard the stem. Don’t do that.
    I made some fried and stuffed blossoms. It really isn’t complicated and it is just delicious. First you will want to remove the stamen before you do anything with your blossoms. The stamens are a little bitter.
    This is a male stamen. I just gently tear the blossom and remove the stamen.

    Zucchini Blossom
    You can stuff your blossoms with anything, grains, cheese of any kind, herbs, anything.
    I had some goat cheese and basil. So I mixed that up. And stuffed my blossoms.
    Basil and Chevre
    Stuff Blossom
    Get a couple bowls and put a beaten egg in one and some seasoned flour in the other.
    Pull the flower around the cheese and dip the blossom in the egg then the flour. You don’t have to be that careful with these. They are really forgiving.  Eva stopped by when I was making these and she can’t eat gluten and I just fried some with cheese and without cheese for her and they were really good. Anyway…
    Fry the dipped, stuffed blossom in a hot pan with oil. Make sure you press the stem down in the pan so it cooks.
    Turn it over and fry the other side and there you go.
    Fried Blossom
    Three or four of those with a salad and some bread and wine makes a great summer dinner.
    The blossoms will keep in the refrigerator for several days so don’t feel like you have to make these right away. I kept last week’s blossoms for 6 days in the fridge before I used them and they were fine.

    – Mo