ZUCCHINI WITH COUSCOUS

Quick, easy and tasty. That's a perfect way to describe this meal. I was very hungry when I came into the house after having spent most of the day pruning, and weeding, and cleaning the garden. There was plenty of zucchini to be found in the refrigerator, and I also had on hand some fennel, scallions and pasta which were begging to be used. So I threw this pasta and zucchini dish together, and it only took twenty minutes. I had dinner and then I headed back outside to finish clearing a spot for planting mums. Satisfaction.

Ingredients:

2 zucchini

1/2 cup couscous or small pasta

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 scallions, chopped

1 tablespoon herbes de Provence

juice of half a lemon

2 tablespoons slivered almonds
1 tablespoon crumbled feta cheese
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, thinly chopped


Directions:

• Wash the zucchini and peel some of their skin off with a vegetable peeler. You should wind up with zucchini that appears striped: white flesh and green skin. Doing this eliminates most of the bitterness that is sometimes given off by the zucchini skin. Slice the zucchini thinly lengthwise, and then chop it crosswise.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and add the zucchini. Cook for two minutes, then add the scallions, herbs de Provence and lemon juice. 
• Season with salt and pepper and saute until the zucchini is soft.
• Meanwhile, cook the couscous according to package directions, and then drain it.
• Heat a small skillet over medium heat and dry-toast the almonds.
• Toss the couscous with the zucchini and the toasted almonds.
• Serve garnished with the parsley and feta cheese.

ZUCCHINI HASH with POTATOES AND SUNNY SIDE UP EGGS

The combination of zucchini and potatoes tastes like summer plus comfort. 

The trick to this recipe is to have the potatoes and zucchini finish cooking at the same time so as to prevent the zucchini from overcooking. I solve this little problem by precooking the potatoes and combining them with the zucchini at the last minute. 

This recipe will be an excellent addition to a leisurely summer weekend breakfast. It serves four but the ingredients can be adjusted to serve any number of people coming to the table. 

And ... I love the way the egg looks as I cut into it and its yolk runs over the potatoes and zucchini. It tastes darn good too! 

Ingredients:


2 medium Yukon gold potatoes

2 small or one medium zucchini

4 eggs
extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons butter
one small onion, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

1 or 2 scallions, sliced thinly, use only the white and light green parts  

a sprinkling of grated Pecorino Romano cheese (for garnish).

salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions:

1. Peel the potatoes and chop them into half-inch dice. Cook them in salted hot water until they get soft, then drain well and set aside to dry.
2. Chop the zucchini into half-inch dice. 
3. Heat some oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and onion. Saute for a minute or two, then add the parsley and dill. Cook, stirring frequently until the zucchini is tender. Remove from the skillet and reserve. 
4. Over medium heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil and a tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Wait until the butter has melted and then add the potatoes and garlic. Cook, stirring, until the potatoes begin to turn a golden colour. 
5. Add the scallions and return the zucchini to the skillet. Combine well and cook no more than a minute just until the ingredients are incorporated. 
6. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat. At this point, you may want to transfer the ingredients to a platter if you'll serve them that way. Keep warm.    
7. Melt the rest of the butter in a non-stick skillet and cook the four eggs sunny side up. Season them with salt and pepper. Top the zucchini and potatoes with the eggs. 
8. At the table, divide the potatoes and zucchini among four plates. Each serving should be topped with an egg.
9. Garnish with the grated Pecorino Romano cheese right before passing the plates around.