Fresh Zucchini Salad

Well, if your garden is behaving the way mine is right now you have an EXCESSIVE amount of zucchini. We have had it sauteed, grilled, steamed, baked, in pasta, out of pasta, shredded in pancakes, etc...etc...I think the family is going to mutiny if they see me walk by with one more zucchini.

Just now I asked if anyone wanted to taste this for me and received a resounding "NO".

Oh well, they missed out. This was so quick and deliciously fresh and required no cooking. Will be perfect tonight with whatever gets thrown on the grill (for me anyway, looks like the family is having corn)

I originally saw this in a magazine somewhere a long while back. I remember the original recipe called for pine nuts (which I currently do not have) and also for basil (which I wasn't in the mood for) 

I made it today with toasted walnuts - that I sent through the Cuisinart - and fresh mint from the garden but I imagine whatever your favorite herb and nut and cheese combination is will work just fine.

YOU WILL NEED:

Lemon vinaigrette (recipe below)

1 medium sized zucchini

good parmesan cheese

crushed walnuts

fresh mint

fresh ground black pepper

For the Dressing:

about 1/2 cup good extra-virgin olive oil

fresh squeezed juice from half a lemon (maybe more depending how tart you like it)

pinch or two of crushed red pepper flakes

almost half a teaspoon of sugar

salt 

pepper

All of this into a little bowl

Mix well. Taste for seasoning.

Using a potato/vegetable peeler, peel long strips from your zucchini.

Or get your six year old to peel the strips so you can take a photo.

(can you believe the size of this zucchini?)

Arrange zucchini strips on individual serving plates - shave parmesan cheese slices over zucchini (same peeler) drizzle dressing over top of zucchini and cheese - at this point I also used the Microplane to ensure I got bits of cheese all over everything on the plate. Finally, sprinkle chopped walnuts, finely sliced pieces of mint and another go round of freshly ground black pepper.

Serve immediately.

Roasted Beet Salad w/Orange Juice reduction dressing

The bounty of the Farmers Markets! I try to always find bunches of fresh beets, butter leaf lettuce (the family favorite) yummy cheeses and whatever else looks pretty and shiny in the early morning light. This salad can be a bit time consuming to prepare because of roasting and washing and slicing and watching orange juice boil...but worth it! Once the beets and dressing are ready there will be plenty for several salads and assembly will be quick going forward.


YOU WILL NEED:


1 bunch fresh beets (see note below) *
1 head butter leaf lettuce (arugula and spinach good also)
a little goat cheese (or whatever mild flavor cheese you prefer)
olive oil
salt
Orange Juice Reduction Dressing (recipe follows)


OJ Dressing:   
Pour 4 cups of orange juice into a medium/large sized saucepan (save yourself the time and purchase the orange juice at your local grocery) Bring to a boil at medium high setting then leave it alone. It needs to boil down to about 1 cup of liquid - this part takes FOREVER! When ready it will be rather dark.                   
Don't worry - after a little soaking and light scrubbing the pot looks good as new.                                      
Turn off heat. Using a fine mesh sieve, strain liquid into a small saucepan - add the juice from 1/2 fresh lemon (save the other half for later) add 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Back to stove on medium high heat - bring liquid to boil and let reduce until "light syrup" consistency (you should have about a half cup of liquid). Turn off heat. Strain again into a bowl or measuring cup big enough to add olive oil and work with a whisk. Let cool for a few minutes. Add 1/2 a cup of good olive oil - the juice from the other half of the  lemon - salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Taste. Dressing should be tart - but if too strong for you add more olive oil. Salt and pepper if needed. Let cool completely.
I now pour this into a canning jar with those nifty seals and lids. That way when I need to dress the salad I can just give it all a good shaking then drizzle on my salad.


* HOW I PREPARE FRESH BEETS                                                                                                    

They look like this when I get them. Lovely aren't they?  Wash and dry. Cut off leafy parts and stems. Completely cover a baking pan - or baking sheet - in foil. Place beets in - drizzle with olive oil - sprinkle with bit of salt - completely cover entire pan with beets in foil - roast in 350 oven for hour to hour and a half depending on size of beets. These were about the size of baseballs - I roasted them for an hour and twenty minutes. Out of oven - leave covered and let cool about half hour. Peel and set aside until ready to use.                                              

Slice or cube the beets when you are ready. Cover and refrigerate leftover.


If you did all this in the same afternoon you have probably ordered a pizza by now!  If not, grab a big bowl, add washed and dried lettuce (I prefer Butter leaf for this) add sliced beets, drizzle with OJ dressing, sprinkle with goat cheese then sit down and relax and eat!