Tired of the same old zucchini recipes? Try Carpaccio di Zucchini. Paper-thin slices of raw zucchini get a quick ‘cook’ in a bath of lemon juice, transforming into a bright, refreshing bite. Since zucchini is a neutral squash that tends to be a blank canvas, it soaks up the flavors of its accompaniments – in this case tangy lemon and briny capers.
Zucchini di Carpaccio is a make-ahead dish that may be served at room temperature or cold. It’s a great side dish for warm and hot weather, and especially if you are avoiding using the oven or stovetop.
Try these other zucchini recipes:
- The Mighty Flexible Zucchini Boats
- Chilled Zucchini Soup
- (Not a) Caprese Salad 2.0 with Zucchini and Mint
- 6-Layer Vegetable Lasagna
- Stuffed Rigatoni
- Savory Zucchini Pancakes
- Zucchini, Red Pepper and Tomato Bake
- Zucchini and Carrot-Stuffed Chicken Thighs
Arliano Update (Aggiornamento Arliano):
Ferragosto, the Italian summer holiday centered around August 15th, is rapidly approaching. Its roots trace back to Emperor Augustus’ ‘Feriae Augusti’ in 18 BC, a celebration honoring farmers and granting them respite. Today, Ferragosto marks the peak of Italy’s vacation season, with businesses and individuals alike taking extended breaks. While this period presents challenges for construction projects due to heat and workforce availability, our renovation crew has been exceptional. Despite their scheduled two-week hiatus, they’ve gone above and beyond by delivering scaffolding and procuring 8,000 pounds of tile. Hail Ceasar!
From the garden we’ve been enjoying tomatoes, zucchini, Tropea red onions, and okra (I just made a batch of pickle okra and pasta with sausage and okra). Our bean plants did a great job climbing and flowering, but where are the beans? It’s a mystery. Maybe hundreds will appear overnight.
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Carpaccio di Zucchini
Ingredients
- 2 large zucchini
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- About 3 – 4 mint or basil leaves
- 1 heaping tablespoon capers, drained, rinsed and roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt or Kosher salt (not iodized tables salt), divided
- 1/4 teaspoon ground hot chili pepper (optional)
Directions
- Using a mandolin or vegetable peeler, slice zucchini vertically in 1/16-inch (0.16 cm) strips
- Lay the zucchini strips on a tray and sprinkle them evenly with 1 teaspoon of the salt. Let sit 20 minutes. Carefully rinse each zucchini strip with water to remove the salt and lay them out on a clean dish towel and pat dry
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and ground red chili pepper (if using)
- Lay one layer of zucchini on a serving platter. Brush each zucchini strip with the lemon juice/olive oil mixture. Sprinkle some of the chopped capers and torn pieces of basil or mint over the zucchini. Add another layer of zucchini strips on top of the first layer in the opposite direction. As you did with the first layer of zucchini, brush with the lemon juice/olive oil, add capers and herbs. Repeat this process until you’ve run out of zucchini strips. Let sit at room temperature or in the refrigerator for one hour before serving
Greg Nelson Cooks 