Slow Cooked Zucchini
Video: Slow Cooked Zucchini
It is August! In the Northern Hemisphere, I consider August to be the prime of farmer’s markets. This is when you will find the most variety of vegetables available. The vegetables are at their peak, so they are bigger and more vibrant. August is when we should do nothing but eat endlessly!
One of my favorite summer vegetables is ZUCCHINI! Technically, it is a fruit. Zucchini, or courgette, or zucchino are basically small summer squash. Zucchini can grow to more than 3.2 feet (1 meter) in length but is usually harvested when still immature — typically measuring under 8 inches (20 cm). You will notice that a mature zucchini often has a hard rind and seeds, and shall be peeled and seeded before cooking. When you get a zucchini longer than 2 feet, feel the skin and seeds and decide if it should be peeled and seeded before cooking. I once got a zucchini that measured 2 feet, but the skin was soft and the seeds were tender, so I did not peel or seed it before cooking. You really have to feel it to make the call. There are several varieties of zucchini, which range in color from deep yellow to dark green.
Zucchini is rich in vitamin B6, which helps regulate blood sugar level. It also contains zeaxanthin and several other compounds that can play a role in preventing oxidative stress. Visit WebMD and Healthline to learn more about the health benefits and nutrition of zucchini.
Friends, I am going to introduce you to Slow Cooked Zucchini. This is a humble but rich, simple yet satisfying dish. Slow cooking zucchini with a good quality extra virgin olive oil, along with onion, garlic, oregano, and tomatoes, creates such beautiful flavors full of summer notes. This is also a pretty hands off recipe. Let the oven do most of the work so you are free to attend to other tasks in the meantime. You just need to come back intermittently to stir in order to evenly distribute the flavors. When it is done cooking, let it relax at room temperature as this dish is best served lukewarm. Zucchini becomes soft and melts in your mouth. Remember to get a quality baguette, you want good bread to soak up the deeply flavored oil!
Serves 4
Zucchini (trimmed and cut) 2 1/2 lb
Onion (diced) 1
Garlic (minced) 6 cloves
Oregano 6 sprigs
Salt 1 1/2 tsp
Ground Black Pepper 1/4 tsp
Tomato Paste 1 1/2 Tbsp
Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2/3 cup
Cherry or Campari Tomatoes 1 lb
Ground Black Pepper 1/4 tsp
Lemon to juice
Basil leaves for garnish
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Put the zucchini, onion, garlic, oregano, tomato paste and salt into a large ovenproof cast-iron with a lid. Covered with a lid, roast in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir once, cover with the lid again, transfer to the oven and cook for another 30 min.
Remove the cast iron from the oven, increase the oven temperature to 400 F. Add the tomatoes and ground black pepper and stir. Transfer the cast iron to the oven and cook without the lid for 30 minutes.
Discard the oregano and let the cast iron cool at room temperature for 30 min before serving. To serve, top with lemon juice and basil leaves, with good quality bread on the side.
zucchini, onion, oregano, garlic, tomato paste to make slow cooked zucchini
easy zucchini recipe: slow cooked zucchini
melt in your mouth slow cooked zucchini
