Zucchini - 7 ways in 7 days.

Our veggie patch has been bountiful this summer, although we seem to be getting bumper crops of one thing at a time. At present, it is zucchini (courgette). Not only are they coming in what feels like the hundreds, they are sizable specimens to say the least. It is not uncommon for this sight to greet me on my return home from work each day...

So, after we had already exhausted the old faithful 'zucchini slice' and 'zucchini and mushroom pasta sauce', and with the zucchini's taking over every usable surface in our fridge and kitchen, it was time to get creative. Here a few a ideas recipes I tried or created for dealing with the abundance.

Ribbon Zucchini Salad
This fresh summer salad can be made a few hours early, as the dressing softens the zucchini as it sits and waits for you.

3-4 medium zucchini (smallest and freshest you can find, and if you can get a few different varieties that adds to the aesthetics)
3 tbsp olive oil
1 ½ tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp lemon zest
1/4 cup shaved, good quality Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp Fresh herbs, finely chopped (whatever you have handy, I used chives and mint-basil)
Pine nuts/ pistachios to garnish

1. Thinly slice the zucchini, lengthwise, into ribbons (I use a vegetable peeler, but you could use a mandolin. I cut the zucchini in half and do shorter ribbons, as I like a little green on either side).
2. Whisk together oil, juice, zest and season with salt and pepper
3. Stir half the cheese, herbs, and dressing through the zucchini (use your hands is easiest).
4. Garnish with remaining cheese, herbs and lightly toasted nuts.

Zucchini Chocolate Cake

This has actually been the dark horse of the week. This cake turned out so delicious that I've just made it for a second time in 5 days. It makes an immense amount of cake mix, so I have had some slight mishaps in sizing the tin correctly (thus resulting in a very small chocolate volcano in my oven on one occasion) but I now have it sorted... I think. Despite the little overflow, this is one of the yummiest chocolate cakes I have had.

Recipe courtesy of thehillcountrycook

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 ¾ cups white sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 ½ cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/3 cup cocoa

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup soured milk (add 1 tsp vinegar to milk and let sit for 10 min)

2 cups peeled, grated zucchini

3/4 cup chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 175°C
2. Cream butter, sugar and oil 
3. Stir in eggs and vanilla
4. In a separate bowl mix together dry ingredients
5. Alternate by adding the dry mix and the soured milk to the butter mix
6. Gently fold in zucchini
7. Pour into a greased and lined tin. What the hillcountrycook recommends equates to 23cm x 30cm, but having had two slight mishaps myself due to poorly misjudging my tins, I would say a 22cm spring-form tin would be a good way to go.
8. Sprinkle with choc chips
9. Bake for 35-40 min, or until a skewer comes out clean (do not be deceived by melted choc chips masquerading as uncooked batter!)

Zucchini and Haloumi Fritters

2 cups grated zucchini 

1 corn cob (kernels only)

2 tbs fresh herbs (I used mint-basil and oregano)

2 spring onions, finely sliced

90gm haloumi cheese diced small or grated

1 cup SR flour

1 egg beaten with 1/2 cup of milk

Salt and pepper

Butter and oil for frying

1. Combine zucchini, corn, cheese, herbs, onions and flour in a large bowl.
2. Add the egg and milk to form a batter.
3. Season well with salt and pepper. 
4. Leave stand for about 10 minutes.
5. Fry in batches in a large frying pan with a little butter and olive oil, until golden brown on both sides and cooked through (2-3 min each side). 
6. We had them with avocado, bruschetta mix (fresh tomato, spring onion and basil) and a green salad.

Zucchini and Sun-dried Tomato Muffins

1 ¾ cups self raising flour

2 eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 milk

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 medium zucchini, grated
1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
Tbsp each fresh chopped chives and oregano

1. Preheat oven to 180°C
2. Mix all dry ingredients (flour, cheese, zucchini, tomatoes, herbs) in a large bowl
3. Lightly beat eggs and milk in a jug and season with salt and pepper
4. Combine wet and dry ingredients
5. Pour into well greased 12 hole muffin tray.
6. Bake for 25 min

Yummy with butter, or cream cheese and chives.

Salmon and Potato Cakes

2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped

400gm tin of pink salmon

1-2 spring onions, finely sliced

2 tbsp chopped parsley

1 med zucchini, grated

1 slice preserved lemon (rind only) very finely diced (discard flesh. 1 piece is usually about a quarter of a lemon, if you don't have these lemon zest would do)

2 eggs, beaten

Tartare Sauce

Mix together:

1/3 cup Mayonnaise

1 tbsp capers, finely diced

1 tbsp gherkins, finely diced

1 tbsp parsley

1. Boil the potatoes for 10-12 min/ unit tender, drain them and then mash slightly and set aside
2. Gently combine salmon, zucchini, onions, parsley and lemon in a large bowl.
3. Stir through potato and season well with salt and pepper
4. Stir through eggs.
5. Form mixture into palm sized patties (will make about 10) and refrigerate for 30 min.
6. Fry in batches in butter or oil until cooked through. (The first batch I cooked fell apart a bit, so I cooked the rest between two sheets of baking paper in the George Foreman Grill, then fried them off briefly prior to serving to brown them up and this was much more successful).
7. tartare sauce.

So there you have it, a week of zucchini. If anyone is still reading at this point, thank you, and I have spared you the recipe for zucchini slice and the pasta as they are quite unexciting.

I also had the great pleasure of attending a preserving workshop last week with some amazing women from the Surf Coast area, where I reside. I was witness to, but not directly involved in, the making of a delicious zucchini pickle, but I will save that for another time. 

You can check out the GreenMums3228 blog for more details about this group of gals and their endeavours to make our corner of the world a brighter place. 

xx