Managing the Harvest

Zucchini Hash Browns

Ingredients

1 lb. zucchini
½ tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
¼ cup butter

Preparation

Toss zucchini with salt let stand for 15 minutes. Wrap in a clean towel and squeeze out the moisture
Combine zucchini, eggs and Parmesan cheese and mix well. Heat butter in a skillet, over a moderate flame. Drop zucchini by tablespoonfuls into the skillet, do not crowd. Brown well on both sides and drain well. Put on a cooling rack and blot with paper towels. Keep warm in a 200 degree oven. Serve warm.

Zucchini Soup (The Zucchini Solution adapted from “Fat Free Flavor Full”)

4 zucchini, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 ½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 cups water
1 Knorr chicken bullion cube (for 2 cups)
1 cup nonfat yogurt or buttermilk

Simmer the zucchini, onion, garlic, and seasonings in the bullion for 15 minutes. Puree the soup in batches in a blender. Stir in the yogurt or buttermilk. Serve warm or chilled.

Note: You can add 1 cup cooked brown rice. If so, increase the water to 4 cups and add another bullion cube.

Zucchini Gratin with Goat Cheese
(Adapted from Provencal Light by Martha Rose Shulman)

2 pounds coarsely grated zucchini
Salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
Freshly ground pepper to taste
3 cloves minced garlic
¼ cup chopped parsley
2-4 tablespoons slivered fresh basil to taste
2 medium eggs beaten
2 ounces fresh goat cheese
2 tablespoons fresh or dried bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Oil a 2 quart gratin. Salt the zucchini and let sit in a colander for 15 – 30 minutes. Rinse and gently squeeze out the moisture.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large, heavy bottomed no stick skillet medium heat and add the zucchini, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring for 10 minutes until the zucchini is starting to cook through. Add garlic and cook another 5 minutes until zucchini is fragrant but still bright green. Stir in parsley and basil and remove from the heat.

Beat together the eggs and the goat cheese. Stir in the zucchini. Adjust the seasonings and transfer to the gratin dish. Sprinkle on the bread crumbs and drizzle with the remaining olive oil.

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until the top is browned and the mixture is sizzling. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Zucchini Nitza

½ onion sliced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 sliced zucchini
Chopped mint leaves

Saute onion and garlic in the olive oil. Add zucchini and stir until cooked but still bright green. Aprinkle with mint leaves. Add salt and pepper and serve.