zucchini halloween

zucchini, originally uploaded by mschmidt62.

"My own attempts at artistic use of zucchini. Yeah, it's a real jack o' lantern with a candle in it. Doesn't stand up on its own, though."

by mschmidt62

Zucchini Patties

2 lbs zucchini
1 cup white flour
1 cup chickpea flour
1 large onion
1 Tbsp cilantro
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp green masala
1 Tbsp boiled butter


Grate zucchini and onion.
Drain the mixture in a colander for 2 hours.
Add all remaining ingredients (except butter) and form patties.
Heat butter in pan and saute patties for 3 minutes on each side.
Serve hot with chutney.

Preserved Apple Cider Zucchini

1 cup sweet apple cider
3 cups apple cider vinegar
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 Tbsp curry
1 Tbsp cilantro
1 cinnamon stick
2 large zucchinis
1 tsp mustard seeds



Wash and peel zucchini, remove seeds and cut into cubes.
In a large pot bring cider, apple cider vinegar and sugar to a boil.
Add curry, cilantro and cinnamon stick and continue to boil mixture for 3 minutes.
Add zucchini and boil and additional 2-3 minutes with cider stock.
Still hot poor into cleaned and prewarmed preserving jars, scatter mustard seeds on top and close jars tightly.

Zucchini Soup with Cognac and Curry

1/2 onion
1 garlic clove
2 1/2 cup zucchini
1 Tbsp butter
5 cups vegetable bouillon
1/2 cup light cream
1 Tbsp flour
Curry Madras
Cognac
bread cubes



Melt butter in pot.
Add and saute chopped onion, crushed garlic and cubed zucchini.
Add vegetable bouillon and continue to boil for about 15 minutes.
Puree all ingredients.
Stir cream and flour separately and add to soup.
Bring briefly to a boil again.
Season with curry and a shot of Cognac.
Melt butter in iron skillet and roast bread cubes.
Serve with freshly roasted bread cubes.

You can use store bought croutons but the flavor of the freshly roasted bread does not compare.

Noodles with Zucchini and Mushrooms

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion
1 garlic clove
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup ricotta
1/3 cup milk
1 lbs whole wheat noodles (e.g. fettuccine)
1/2 tsp nutmeg
parsley



Prepare vegetables first.
Peel and cut onion into rings, chop garlic, wash and grated zucchini, clean and slice mushrooms.
Heat olive oil in iron skillet.
Saute onion and garlic until soft.
Add the grated zucchini and the slices mushrooms and stir well.
Reduce heat and continue to saute for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Bring water to a boil, salt lightly and cook whole wheat noodles until al dente (approximately 7 minutes or follow instructions on package), drain.
In separate bowl whisk ricotta with milk until soft, add to zucchini mixture in skillet and season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Finally add noodles and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Serve immediately.

Lemon Marinated Stuffed Zucchini

4 small zucchini
1/2 lemon
salt
1 egg
2 Tbsp cottage cheese
2 Tbsp peppermint
2 Tbsp pecans
1 dash paprika
pepper



Boil washed zucchini in lightly salted water for 5 minutes.
Drain well.
Cut in half lengthwise and remove seeds from core.
Chop removed cores and save.
Wash lemon and scrap off lemon zest, put in bowl.
Squeeze 1/2 lemon and add juice to bowl.
Add warm zucchini halves, cover with zest and juice and let completely cool down.
Boil egg and chop, then mix with cottage cheese, chopped peppermint, pecans and paprika powder, salt, pepper and some lemon marinade to bowl with zucchini cores.
Lay out two zucchini halves on one plate. Put filling in middle of zucchini halves and garnish each portion with a slice of lemon and a mint leave.

Tastes delicious with thin slices of whole wheat bread.

Zucchini Quiche

Ricotta Dough
2/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup soft butter
1/2 cup Ricotta

Mix flour and salt in a bowl.
Add soft butter and whisk with mixer to a crumbly mass.
Add Ricotta and continue briefly with hand mixer.
Assemble quickly to a dough but don't kneed.
Cover bowl and cool in refrigerator for about one hour.
After an hour roll out dough, lay out in a 9-inch quiche pan and poke dough several times with a fork.



Filling
1/3 cup heavy cream
172 cup sour cream
1/3 cup light cream
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
pepper
nutmeg
3 small zucchini
2 bushes parsley
dill
marjoram
1/4 cup Gruyere cheese

Mix heavy cream, sour cream light cream eggs salt pepper and nutmeg very well.
Grate zucchini and add to mixture.
Chop parsley, dill and marjoram finely and add.
Grate Gruyere cheese and add into mixture.
Pour mixture immediately into baking dish with dough.

Bake on the bottom rack of preheated oven at 430 degrees for 30 minutes.
Serve hot or warm.

Zucchini Au Gratin

1.5 lbs zucchini
flour
olive oil
2 bushes basil
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp salt
nutmeg
pepper
1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano



Cut zucchini into 1/4 inch slices and turn over in a plate of flour.
Heat olive oil in frying pan and fry all zucchini slices until brown on both sides.
Cut basil into stripes and spread out into a gratin dish together with zucchini slices.
Mix sour cream, salt, nutmeg and pepper and pour over vegetables.
Grate cheese and sprinkle over dish.
Bake on middle rack in preheated oven at 390 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Aunt Marie's Sweet and Sour Vegetables

Day One
1 lbs zucchini
1 lbs carrots
1 lbs cauliflower
1 cup onion rings
1 Tbsp salt

Cut zucchini and carrots in small cubes, divide cauliflower into small pieces.
Layer vegetables together with onion rings and salt into preserving jars.
Let rest for one day.



Day Two
3 cups white wine vinegar
3 cups water
1 cup sugar
2 tsp curry
1 dash pepper

On the second day bring all ingredients to a boil and pour over the jarred vegetables.

Day Three
1 tsp sugar

On the third day empty the marinade into a pot, save and rise vegetables very well.
Boil marinade again and with additional sugar and pour over vegetables.

Day Four
Empty vegetables and marinade from jars into a pot and boil for about 10 minutes. Still hot fill into preserving jars and close jars tightly immediately.
Tastes grate as side dishes to a cheese platter or raclette.

Zucchini Flowers with Ricotta

12 zucchini flowers with attached fruit (see picture below)
1 lbs baked potatoes
salted water
2/3 cup ricotta
4 Tbsp Parmesan
1/2 cup arugula
salt
pepper
1 dash nutmeg



Open zucchini flowers carefully and remove pistil.
Cut attached zucchini fruit lengthwise to form a fan.
Boil potatoes in lightly salted water for 20 minutes until soft. Drain most water, keep a little in pan and let potatoes soak up remaining liquid until potatoes are white and dry. Mash potatoes.
Mix mashed potatoes with ricotta, Parmesan and chopped arugula.
Season with salt, freshly ground pepper and nutmeg. Fill potato mix into a freezer bag and cut off one corner of the freezer bag. Carefully fill each zucchini flower with the potato mix, then turn the tips of the zucchini flower to a close.
Steam each zucchini flower over boiling water in a colander for approximately 2 minutes until barely soft.

Sauce
1 Tbsp aceto balsamico
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp arugula
salt
pepper

Mix aceto aceto balsamico, olive oil and finely chopped arugula. Season with salt and pepper.

1/2 cup arugula
1/4 cup Parmesan

Arrange arugula leaves in plates, put three zucchini flowers on top of arugula in each plate and drizzle with sauce.
Use vegetable peeler to cut stripes from Parmesan cheese and sprinkle on top.
Serve while still warm.

Zucchini Risotto with Chaumes

1 Tbsp butter
1 shallot
2/3 cup risotto rice
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 quart vegetable bouillon
1 cup zucchini
2/3 cup Chaumes
2 Tbsp mixed herbs (e.g. parsley, thyme)
salt
pepper



Melt butter in pan.
Chop shallot and saute.
Add risotto rice and saute until rice has a clear look.
Add white wine and continue to stir until all wine has evaporated.
While continuously stirring add vegetable bouillon. Little at a time, just enough so the rice is always lightly covered with liquids. Continue the cooking process (for about 20 minutes) until the rice is creamy and al dente.
Cut zucchini lengthwise in halves and then in haves again (in quarters) and slice thinly. Mix zucchini and cubed Chaumes with rice.
Season with mixed herbs, salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Zucchini Fans

4 zucchini
1/2 quart salted water
1 red chili pepper
3 Tbsp sunflower oil
1 tsp freshly ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper



Wash and cut zucchini in halves. Then cut halves lengthwise starting at the stem with a width of 1/3 inch for each slice however not cutting all the way through so the slices are still attached on one end.
Bring 1/2 quart salt water and sliced chili pepper to a boil. Add each zucchini fan individually and boil for 2 minutes, drain and spread on baking sheet covered with baking paper.
Mix sunflower oil, fresh ginger, salt and pepper and brush zucchini fans.

Bake on middle rack of preheated oven at 430 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 20 minutes.

Zucchini alla panna

2 Tbsp olive oil
2 lbs zucchini
1/2 tsp Italian herbs
1 tsp salt
1.5 cup heavy cream

Heat olive oil in frying pan.
Cut zucchini in 1/2 inch slices and saute slices on each side until brown, then lay out in greased gratin dish.
Sprinkle Italian herbs and salt over zucchini.
Boil and reduce 1.5 cup heavy cream to 1 cup. Let cream cool down.



Sauce
Reduced and cooled cream
2 eggs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
1/4 tsp salt
1 dash nutmeg
freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp paprika

Wisk reduced cream, eggs, Parmesan cheese, salt, nutmeg, pepper and paprika together.
Pour over zucchini.
Bake 30-40 minutes at 450 degrees Fahrenheit in the middle of preheated oven.

Serves well as a side dish to a roast, risotto or polenta.

Zucchini Orange Jam

1 3/4 lbs zucchini
2 1/4 lbs oranges
1 lbs sugar
1 Tbsp gelling agent
1 Tbsp vanilla



Wash, peel and deseed zucchini. Cut zucchini in very small pieces and put into pot.
Peel oranges and cut in small pieces.
Add oranges and sugar to zucchini pieces.
Add gelling agent and vanilla and boil until desired thickness is reached.
Fill in preserving jars while still hot. Close immediately.

Tommes on a Zucchini Spaghetti Bed

2 Tommes
2 Tbsp white wine
2 Tbsp sesame seeds

Put Tommes in a bowl and poke several times with a fork.
Pour white wine over Tommes and marinade for at least 1 hour.
Drain the Tommes and turn over in 2 Tbsp sesame seeds, pad sesame seeds well.



3 zucchini
1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp curry
1 dash salt
Italian parsley

Cut zucchini first lengthwise in 1/4 inch slices, then into thinner slices until they are spaghetti shaped.
Melt butter in pan and saute zucchini spaghetti.
Season zucchini spaghetti with curry and salt while constantly stirring. Continue for 3-4 minutes and remove from stove but keep warm.
Fry Tommes for 8-10 minutes on both sides in the same pan, then arrange over the warm zucchini spaghetti decorated with a few parsley sprigs.

Pickled Zucchini with Garlic

2 1/4 lbs zucchini
4 garlic cloves
1/2 shallots
1 twig rosemary
1 twig thyme
1 quart wine vinegar
1/2 Tbsp peppercorns
1 Tbsp cilantro
1 Tbsp fennel seeds
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp salt



Wash zucchini, remove ends.
Cut zucchini in 1/4 inch slices.
Peel shallots and garlic. Wash herbs and remove large stems.
Layer zucchini slices, garlic, shallots and herbs in preserving jars.
Bring vinegar with 1/2 quart water, peppercorns, cilantro, 1 Tbsp fennel seeds, sugar and salt to a boil until sugar has disolved completely.
While still hot pour the stock over the zucchini and into the jars. Cover jars.
The following day pour the boiling from the jars into a pot (without zucchini, garlic and herbs) and boil again. Then pour the stock again into the jars. Close the perserving jars tightly.

The storage life of the jars is about 6 months.

Ricotta Filled Zucchini

3-6 small zucchini
1 small onion
dill
lovage
1/4 cup bouillon
1 cup ricotta
parsley
chives
tarragon
chervil
2 eggs
salt
2 Tbsp heavy cream



Wash and cut zucchini lengthwise. Remove seeds.
Chop onion, some dill, lovage, add bouillon and saute zucchini until semi-soft.
Chop parsley, remaining dill, chives, tarragon and chervil and mix well with ricotta, egg yolks, salt and heavy cream.
Beat the 2 egg whites and pull carefully under the ricotta mix.
Fill zucchini halves.
Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes at 390 degrees Fahrenheit.

Sauted Zucchini

1 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup bacon
1 medium seized onion
1 garlic clove
marjoram
rosmary
thyme
1 lbs zucchini
salt
2 Tbsp heavy cream
2 Tbsp parmesan cheese



Heat oil and saute bacon.
Chop onion, garlic, marjoram, rosary and thyme and add to bacon.
Wash and cut zucchini into 1/4 inch slices, add and saute well. Reduce heat, cover and steam for 10-25 minutes.
Before serving refine with heavy cream and sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.

Aunt Heidi's Curry Zucchini

6.5 lbs zucchini
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
2-3 onions
3.5 Tbsp salt



Wash and dice zucchini, cut peppers in stripes, slice onions thinly.
Sprinkle salt over vegetables and let sit for 5 hours.

Stock
1 quart vinegar
1.5 quart water
1 1/3 cup sugar
3 Tbsp curry
pepper

Pour all stock ingredients into pot and bring to a boil.
Drain the vegetables well.
Add the vegetables to the stock and continue to boil for about 2 minutes. The vegetables should remain crunchy.
Pour into glasses while hot and close tightly.

Zucchini Seeds

Zucchini Tricolor Jade Gold and Emerald Seeds 20 Seeds $2.79
Dark Zucchini Squash 70 or More Seeds $1.99
Summer Squash Black Beauty Zucchini Certified Organic Heirloom Seeds 25 Seeds $1.99
Squash Early Prolific Straightneck Seeds 45 Seeds $1.79
Zucchini Round French Seeds 20 Seeds $2.79
Zucchini 'Tristan' Hybrid Vegetable Seed $2.45

Zucchini Beauty Products

CUCINA Fragrant Kitchen Sprays - 3.4 fl. oz. - Zucchini


CUCINA Ceramic Hand Care Duos - Zucchini Flower and Truffle


CUCINA Nourishing Hand Butters - 2 oz. - Zucchini Flower and Truffle


CUCINA Full-Sized Chef's Hand Care Duo - Zucchini Flower and Truffle


Cucina Purifying Hand Wash - Zucchini Flower & Truffle 16.9oz.

Zucchini Salad with Pine Nuts

1 green zucchini
1 yellow zucchini
2 rosemary twigs
2 garlic cloves
1 onion
4 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp pine nuts
1/2 cup vegetable bouillon
1 Tbsp Aceto Balsamico de Modena
salt
pepper



Wash and cut zucchini in 2 inches long and fingerthick skewers. Pull the rosemary needles off the first twig and break the second twig in pieces. Slice garlic and onion thinly.
Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add zucchini, rosemary and pine nuts. Fry on high heat for about 5 minutes. Stir frequently.
Add bouillon and balsamic vinegar. Remove from stove. Season with salt and pepper. Let stand at least 15 minutes before serving.
Salad tastes best if given 24 hours to soak thoroughly.

Avocado – Zucchini Salad

4 small zucchini, unpeeled
1 cup water
1 tsp Italian herbs

2 avocados
1/2 cup celery
1 can corn kernels

Clean zucchini and cut into 3/4 inch slices.
Boil water with Italian herbs, put zucchini in a colander and steam for 5 minutes over boiling water.
Wash and peel avocados. Remove the core, slice and put immediately into the salad dressing (to avoid discoloring).
Wash and peel celery. Cut into thin slices.
Drain and add corn kernels.
Mix all ingredients.



Salad Dressing
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
5 Tbsp sunflower oil

Whisk all dressing ingredients together. Pour over salad, cover and let rest in refrigerator for about one hour.

Zucchini - Tomato Salad

3-4 zucchini
1-2 tomatoes

Wash zucchini and cut into 1/2 inches thick slices. Boil slices in lightly salted water for 3 minutes. Drain and cool.
Wash tomatoes and dice.
Mix both ingredients.



Dressing
chives, chopped
pepper
1/2 tsp mustard
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp olive oil

Whisk all ingredients for dressing and pour over tomatoes and zucchini.

Mob Zucchini Salad

1 green zucchini
1 yellow zucchini
2 carrots
1 green pepper
1-2 tomatoes

Wash and grate the unpeeled zucchinis.
Peel the carrots and grate or cut in thin slices.
Wash the pepper, cut out the core and dice.
Clean the tomatoes and dice.
Mix all ingredients.



Salad Sauce
parsely, finely chopped
2-4 fresh basil leaves, chopped
pepper, freshly grated
1 tsp mustard
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
salt
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp plain yoghurt
3 Tbsp olive oil

Wisk all ingredients together and poor over the salad. Cover salad and let rest in refrigerator for about an hour.

Zucchini Cream Soup

1 Tbsp butter
1 onion
2-3 small zucchinis
3 cups bouillon
1 cup cream
parsley



Melt butter in pan, add diced zucchini and chopped onions and saute.
Add bouillonand cook for 10 minutes.
Puree, add cream and reheat.
Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.

Zucchini Salad with Bananas

2-3 small zucchinis
2 bananas
lemon juice
Italian herbs
2 Tbsp sunflower oil
chopped almonds



Wash and grate fresh zucchini.
Cut banana in small cubes and add to zucchini.
Dribble lemon juice over zucchini and banana.
Mix with Italian herbs and sunflower oil.
Roast almonds lightly and sprinkle over salad.

Spaghetti with Zucchini Sauce

2-3 zucchinis
6-8 garlic cloves
1 Tbsp butter
salt
pepper
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 lbs Mascarpone



Chop or grate zucchini finely.
Chop garlic finely. Saute garlic and zucchini in melted butter.
Season to your liking.
Add wine and keep stirring until most liquid has evaporated and the zucchini are soft. Use more wine if necessary.
Reduce heat and add mascarpone. Melt mascarpone and serve immediately over spaghetti.

Ratatouille

1 zucchini
1 yellow squash
1 small eggplant
2 tomatoes
1 onion
1 clove garlic
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup water
1 cube bouillon
pepper
Italian seasoning



Wash and cut the zucchini, yellow squash and eggplant into cubes.
In a medium seize pot warm up the olive oil.
Mince the onion and saute in olive oil, add the zucchini, yellow squash and eggplant.
Cut the tomatoes into small cubes, crush the garlic and add all to the pot. Season with pepper and Italian seasoning.
Add 1 cup water and bring to a boil, add the bouillon cube and reduce the heat.
Simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes.

Serves well over boiled rice or pasta with grated cheese.

Zucchini Tomato Chicken Rice Casserole

1 lb boneless chicken breast
2-3 tomatoes
1 cup rice
1 cup grated cheese
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
white sauce
2 lbs grated zucchini
1 Tbsp olive oil

White Sauce
1 onion
1/4 cup white flour
3 Tbsp olive oil or butter
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk
pepper



Chop onion finely and add to heated olive oil (or butter) in pan. Saute the onions, then add sifted white flour and continue to saute for a few minutes. Don't let the flour or the onion turn brown or else the sauce will taste bitter. Slowly pour broth and milk but keep stirring to avoid flour chunks. Season lightly with freshly ground pepper. Bring to a boil. Turn off stove and put aside.

Slice chicken breast thinly and saute in oil until thoroughly cooked. Turn off stove and put aside.

In a greased casserole dish and working in layers add:
- Layer 1: half of the grated zucchini
- Layer 2: the rice
- Layer 3: half of the grated cheese
- Layer 4: the sauted chicken breast
- Layer 5: sliced tomatoes
- Layer 6: 2nd half of the grated cheese
- Layer 7: remaining grated zucchini

Finally pour the white sauce over the dish and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.

Bake casserole on the middle rack in preheated oven at 230 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes.