Monday, August 8, 2011

Romanesco Zucchini


There is a particular cooking contest that I've never entered, which encourages gargantuan burgers featuring lots of mix-ins, a sauce or two, toppings, spreads, and all sorts of other nonsense which - to my mind - detracts from the basic beauty of the burger. Good beef, a bit of seasoning, some essential condiments and a sturdy bun are all that's needed.

And so, when zucchini is in season I don't want to see it buried in breads or layered with sauces and cheeses. I love it when it's very simply prepared, letting its flavor shine.

This preparation - involving only a few minutes of sauteeing in garlic and oil, just until the zucchini caramelizes a bit - is ideal for small zucchini which are tender (rather than the overgrown ones which become fibrous).

And if you can find them at the farmers' market, the very best zucchini for this recipe are Romanesco zucchini. Any summer squash - yellow or green - will suffice. But the ridges on the Romanesco make for a beautiful, sunburst-like presentation after slicing. It's worth the hunt for this heirloom variety, I assure you!


Garlic-Sauteed Romanesco Zucchini

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 minced garlic clove
2 6" Romanesco zucchini, ends trimmed,
cut into 1/4" slices
pinch of sea salt
pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add zucchini slices in a single layer and cook 2-3 minutes per side, until golden. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then serve.

Serves 1-2.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Simple and oh so delicious!!! Love sauteed zucchini!

Miriam said...

I. LOVE. THESE. I'll be making them very soon (I have zucchini coming out of my ears at the moment), Miriam@Meatless Meals For Meat Eaters

Meg Luby said...

it's always the simple tastes that end up the most tempting. and these look tempting indeed! thanks for sharing, love :)
-meg
@ http://clutzycooking.blogspot.com

Vanillabeanseed said...

That sounds really good. Ive only just recently discovered the goodness of zucchini!


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