Pickled Zucchini

Pickled Zucchini

Another great recipe from Marisa McClellan's Food in Jars book on preserving small batches of food.  We do feel like master gardeners when it comes time to growing zucchini but what do we do with all of it?  I have spiraled it into noodles, baked it with Parmesan cheese, grilled it, added it as a pizza topping.....but today I tried pickling it.  I am surprised how crisp it is...especially with the refrigerator method.  The cumin adds a great difference.  Make sure the cumin is fresh.  Here's the recipe:

3 pounds young zucchini, cut  into 1/2" rounds

2 cups apple cider vinegar

3 teaspoons ground cumin

3 TBS pickling salt

1 lime sliced

2 tsp black peppercorns

1 tsp cumin seed

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp red pepper flakes, I use chipotle

Combine the vinegar, 2 cups water, ground cumin and pickling salt in a pot and bring the brine to a boil.

Meanwhile place a lime slice in the bottom of each sterilized jar.  Divide the pickling spices among your jars

Pack the sliced zucchini in each jar

Gently pour the hot brine over the zucchini leaving 1/2 inch headspace

If canning, gently tap the jars and use a wooden skewer to release any bubbles trapped.  Wipe the rims of the jars.  Add lids and rings  Process for 10 minutes in boiling water.

If going directly to the fridge.  Let the zucchini soak up all the flavor for 48 hours if you can wait that long.

Happy summer eating.

mise en place

pickling spices, lime and a sprig of lavender

zucchini in jar

Zucchini parmesan chips

Zucchini parmesan chips, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

What to do with zucchini? Here's a quick (40 minutes) side dish that is absolutely tasty!
Heat oven to 450 deg
Slice zucchini 1/4 inch thick round
Coat with olive oil
dip in bowl with half bread crumbs, half Parmesan cheese (grated), plus any seasoning (I like an ancho chili powder) and coat both sides.
Place on baking sheet
Place in hot oven for 30 minutes
Bon Appetit!

zucchini parmesan chips, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

Zucchini, garden vegetables and goat cheese frittata

zucchini, garden vegetables and goat cheese frittata, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

Who doesn't love zucchini? Here's another way to use your summer garden squash and other veggies. I used zucchini, peppers, Japanese eggplant and goat cheese. Here's the basic recipe from food network.
Make sure you use yummy eggs:

zucchini frittata, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

Zucchini gratin

zucchini gratin, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

What doesn't make you feel like a gardener when you plant a couple of zucchini seeds? But after about the first 6 what do you do with them all. I have a few go to zucchini recipes but this one is by far my favorite. I used the $15 mandoline from Williams-Sonoma to slice these guys thin. Then I followed Ina Gartin's recipe from The Barefoot Contessa. I had enough to double the recipe so I cooked both and froze the the extra one. Friday night I had an impromptu garden party with gazpacho and grilled bread. I felt like the menu was kind of weak and then remembered the gratin in the freezer along with some stuffed mushrooms. The gratin was delicious!
For dessert:
ice cream--lemon, lavender and goat poop (mint with Peppermint Patty pieces)
Bon Appetit in the jardin!

zucchini sliced thin, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

zucchini gratin, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

raised bed #1 August 5

There is a 6 foot by 6 foot framed bed under here somewhere. Here's what it looked like 6 weeks ago
raised bed #1 August 5, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

What's for breakfast?

zucchini pancakes, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

Try zucchini for breakfast with these yummy zucchini pancakes:

3/4 pound summer squash grated with a box grater
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup diced onions, scallions or shallots
6-8 TBS flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
fresh dill
tomato

Grate the squash (including the skin) and pace in a bowl. Add the diced onion and eggs. Mix well. Then add the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Mix again. Try 6 Tbs at first and if at this point the mixture is too thin, add more flour.
In a heavy pan or griddle, melt 2 Tbs butter and add 2 Tbs olive oil. When hot enough for regular pancakes add 2 big spoonfuls of batter. Cook 2 minutes on each side.
Serve hot with fresh dill or other herb and sliced tomatoes.
I added fresh melon topped with a strawberry, raspberry sauce (will be posted later)
Bon petit dejeuner!