Za'atar-Rubbed Cod With Spicy Chickpea Puree and Grilled Zucchini

Special equipment

Food processor or blender, grill

Ingredients

serves Serves 4, active time 30 minutes, total time 45 minutes

• For the Chickpea Purée:
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained, liquid reserved
• 1 habanero chili, stemmed and seeded
• 4 medium cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1/2 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice from about 4 lemons, divided
• 5 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt
•  
• For the Zucchini:
• 4 medium zucchini, ends removed and sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices
•  
• For the Fish:
• 4 skinless cod fillets, 6 to 8 ounces each.
• 2 tablespoons za’atar seasoning
• Freshly ground black pepper.
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley

Procedures

1. Place chickpeas, habanero, garlic, tahini and 1/4 cup lemon juice in a food processor or blender. Pulse to combine to a chunky puree. With the motor running, add 2 tablespoons olive oil in a slow, steady stream and process until smooth. If mixture is too thick, add some of the reserved canning liquid to achieve a thinner-but-sturdy, sauce-like consistency. Refrigerate until ready to use.
   
2. Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and spread the coals evenly over half of coal grate. Alternatively, set half the burners of a gas grill to high heat. Set cooking grate in place, cover gill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate.
   
3. Place zucchini in a large bowl and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and remaining 1/4 cup lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine.
   
4. Place zucchini over hot side of grill, perpendicular to grill grates. Cook until well charred, about 2 minutes, then flip and cook until second side is charred, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Set aside on a large plate.
   
5. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Drizzle cod fillets with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and rub with za’atar seasoning. When oil is shimmering, add fish fillets and cook without moving until well browned on first side, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip with a flexible metal spatula and cook on second side until just cooked through, about 2 minutes longer.
   
6. Place a generous dollop of chickpea puree on each of four individual plates. Set fish on top, alongside grilled zucchini. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.

Parisian Gnocchi With Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, Corn, and Zucchini

Ingredients

serves Serves 4, active time 30 minutes (plus 45 minutes to make gnocchi), total time 30 minutes (plus 45 minutes to make gnocchi)

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, each tomato split in half
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels (from about 1 large ear of corn)
• 1 small zucchini, split in half lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch half moons
• 1 small summer squash, split in half lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch half moons
• 1 recipe Parisian Gnocchi
• 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
• 1/4 freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Procedures

1. Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 300°F. Toss cherry tomatoes in a large bowl with 1 tablespoon olive oil and garlic. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and roast until tomatoes are tender and softened, about 20 minutes.
   
2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large non-stick or cast iron skillet over high heat until lightly smoking. Add corn, season to taste with salt and pepper, and cook, tossing occasionally, until well-browned, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to a large plate and set aside. Wipe out skillet with a paper towel and return to high heat.
   
3. Add 1 tablespoon oil to now-empty skillet and heat until lightly smoking. Add zucchini and squash and cook, tossing occasionally, until well-browned, about 4 minutes total. Transfer to another large plate and set aside. Wipe out skillet with a paper towel.
   
4. When tomatoes have finished roasting, remove from oven and set aside. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in now-empty skillet over high heat until lightly smoking. Add gnocchi and cook, tossing occasionally, until well-browned on all sides, about 6 minutes total. Add corn, zucchini, squash, tomatoes, and herbs to pan and toss to combine. Transfer to a serving platter or individual plates, top with grated Parmesan cheese, and serve.

Zucchini Pastitsio (Mediterranean Baked Beef and Pasta Casserole)

Special equipment

Baking sheet, baking pan

Ingredients

serves Serves 6, active time 1 hour 15 minutes, total time About 2 hours

• For the Zucchini:
• 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 3 medium zucchinis, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
•  
• For the Meat Sauce:
• 1 1/4 pounds ground beef
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
• 1 small onion, grated (about 3/4 cup)
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1 (28-ounce) can puréed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 pinches of nutmeg, divided
• 2 bay leaves
•  
• For the Bechamel:
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
•  
• For Assembly:
• 3/4 pound rigatoni or macaroni, cooked al dente and kept warm
• 2 1/4 cups grated Kefalograviera or Gruyère
• Non-stick baking spray

Procedures

1. For the Zucchini: Adjust oven rack to upper position and preheat broiler to high. Using a large baking sheet, toss zucchini with 3 tablespoons of oil. Season with salt and pepper and place in a single layer on the baking sheet. Transfer zucchini to the oven to brown until golden, flipping halfway through, about 8 minutes total. Remove from oven and set aside. Adjust oven rack to center position and reduce oven to 350°F.
   
2. For the Meat Sauce: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add ground beef and garlic and cook, breaking up into little bits, until browned, about 8 minutes total. Add onion and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Add wine, bring to a boil and simmer for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, sugar, vinegar, a pinch of nutmeg, and bay leaves. Season lightly with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Return to a boil; then, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaves, season to taste with salt and pepper, and set sauce aside until you’re ready to assemble the casserole.
   
3. For the Bechamel: Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring to prevent scorching, until hot. Melt the butter in another small, non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add the flour and quickly whisk to combine. Whisking constantly, add the flour mixture to the hot milk in stages, taking care to eliminate lumps to create a smooth sauce. Add heavy cream and lemon zest. Season with salt, pepper and remaining pinch of nutmeg. While the sauce is still hot, quickly whisk in the Romano and eggs. Heat gently while whisking constantly until thickened if necessary.
   
4. To Assemble: Combine warm, cooked pasta with Kefalograviera or Gruyère and remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Spray a 9- by 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Layer with half of zucchini. Top with half of the noodle mixture, followed by half of the white sauce and meat sauce. Repeat layers, ending with white sauce. Transfer to the oven to bake until golden and bubbly, 35 to 40 minutes. Serve immediately.

Make-Ahead Spaghetti With Arugula Jalapeño Pesto and Zucchini

Ingredients

serves Serves 2, active time 15 minutes, total time 20 minutes

• Kosher salt
• 6 ounces dry spaghetti
• 2 cups packed arugula leaves (about 1 1/2 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped toasted walnuts
• 1 jalapeño, seeded, stemmed, roughly chopped
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium zucchini, finely julienned

Procedures

1. Bring pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta to just below al dente according to package instructions. Meanwhile, combine arugula, parmesan, walnuts and jalapeno in blender or food processor. Pulse to chop and combine, then stream in olive oil with motor running. Season to taste with salt. Transfer pesto to a fine mesh strainer and let any excess oil or moisture drain off for 30 seconds. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
   
2. Drain pasta and run immediately under very cold water to stop cooking. Toss with zucchini and pesto to combine. Serve cold or refrigerate and serve the next day.

Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread

Ingredients

serves Makes one 9- by 5-inch loaf, active time About 20 minutes, total time About one hour

• 3 cups unpeeled, grated zucchini (about 14 ounces)
• 6 ounces millet flour
• 6 ounces granulated sugar
• 2 ounces sorghum flour
• 3 tablespoons ground flaxmeal
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 6 tablespoons water
• 2 large eggs
• 5 tablespoons vegetable oil

Procedures

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set pan aside.
   
2. Place the zucchini on a large, dry kitchen towel. Cover the zucchini fully with the towel and twist both ends to the towel to wring moisture from the zucchini. Transfer zucchini to a large cutting board. Chop the zucchini roughly. (You can skip the chopping the zucchini if you’d like. It just helps the bread to have a more uniform texture with no long string of zucchini scattered throughout the baked loaf.) Set the aside zucchini aside.
   
3. Whisk together millet flour, granulated sugar, sorghum flour, flaxmeal, ground cinnamon, ground allspice, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and xanthan gum. Add the water, eggs, and vegetable oil. Whisk until a thick batter forms. Switch to a flexible spatula and stir in the zucchini.
   
4. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Bake until golden brown, a cake tester interested into the center of the loaf should come out clean. Allow bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out to a wire rack to cool completely.

Spiced Zucchini Layer Cake

Special equipment: 

two (8 inch) round cake pans, electric mixer

Ingredients

serves Serves 12, active time 45 minutes, total time 2 hours

• For the Cake
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 pound of zucchini, ends trimmed
•  
• For the Frosting:
• 8 ounces cream cheese, slightly softened
• 4 ounces unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Procedures

1. Move oven rack to the center position and preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8-inch round pans and set aside.
   
2. Fit food processor with a fine grater disk and grate zucchini. Set aside.
   
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, salt, sugar, and brown sugar. Stir in the oil until flour is moistened then add eggs and vanilla, stirring until thick batter forms. Stir in zucchini until just combined.
   
4. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
   
5. For the frosting: Combine cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat until thoroughly combined. Add sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth. Spread over cake and serve. Store cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Charred Corn and Cherry Tomato Salad with Zucchini and Radishes

Special equipment

Wok or cast iron skillet

Ingredients

serves Serves 4 to 6, active time 20 minutes, total time 30 minutes

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 cup zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 1 medium)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups sweet corn kernels (cut from about 4 full ears)
• 12 small radishes, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallion greens and whites (about 4 whole scallions)
• 1 serrano or jalapeño pepper, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1/4 cup Mexican style crema or sour cream
• 1/2 cup coarsely crumbled or grated cotija cheese, plus more to garnish
• 3 tablespoons juice from about 3 limes

Procedures

1. Heat half of oil in a large wok or cast iron skillet over high heat until smoking. Add zucchini in a single layer and cook without moving until well browned on first side, about 1 minute. Toss and continue to cook until browned all over but still firm, about 3 minutes total. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large bowl.
   
2. Heat remaining oil in the same pan over high heat until smoking. Add corn and cook without moving until well charred on first side, about 2 minutes. Scrape up charred corn from bottom of pan with a stiff spatula, toss, and char again. Repeat until corn is well charred on multiple surfaces, about 10 minutes total. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add to bowl with zucchini. Toss to combine. Allow to cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
   
3. Add radishes, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, serrano, crema, cotija, and lime juice, and toss to combine. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, sprinkled with extra cotija.

Roasted Zucchini-Chickpea Dip with Za'atar

 

Special equipment

Food processor

Ingredients

serves Serves 6 to 8, active time 10 minutes, total time 30 minutes

• 3 to 4 medium summer squash, cut into rough dice (about 1 quart)
• 1 medium red onion, peeled and chopped (about 1 cup)
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (or use 1/2 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in 3 cups water and simmered until tender)
• 3 medium cloves garlic, smashed, peels removed
• 2 tablespoons tahini paste
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice from 2 lemons
• About 3 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon za'atar

Procedures

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Toss squash and onion with 3 tablespoons olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Turn onto a rimmed baking sheet and roast, stirring once or twice, until vegetables are tender and browned, about 20 minutes.
   
2. Add chickpeas, garlic, tahini, and roasted vegetables to the bowl of a food processor. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pulse until well-chopped. With machine running, stream in olive oil, lemon juice, and water, and blend until smooth. Add more water if mixture is too thick. Taste, adding more oil, lemon, or seasoning as needed.
   
3. Scrape dip into a serving bowl, drizzle with 1 additional tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with za'atar. Serve with toasted flatbread, pita or crudités.

Zucchini and Apricot Socca Tart

Ingredients

serves Serves 4 to 6, active time 30 minutes, total time 1 hour, plus at least 2 hours resting time

• Tart Base
• 1 1/3 cups (140 g) chickpea flour
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Olive oil for cooking
• Freshly ground black pepper
•  
• Zucchini Tart
• 9 ounces (250 g) apricots or yellow peaches, pitted and diced
• 1 small (120 g) zucchini
• Flaky sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Procedures

1. To prepare the tart base: In a medium bowl, combine the chickpea flour, salt, cumin, and 3 tablespoons oil. Pour in 3/4 cup (180 ml) cold water in a slow stream, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. The mixture will be thinner than pancake batter. Cover and let rest for 2 hours at room temperature, or overnight in the fridge.
   
2. Place a well-seasoned 10-inch (25 cm) cast-iron pan in the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
   
3. Whisk the batter again. Remove the pan from the oven cautiously (it will be hot) and pour in a good glug of oil, swirling the pan around to coat. Pour the batter into the pan and swirl to cover the entire surface. Return to the oven and bake until set, 25 to 30 minutes. Switch the oven to the broiler setting and leave the pan in, keeping a close eye on it, until golden brown and crisp at the top, about 10 minutes. Turn the socca out onto a plate, then flip it back onto a serving dish.
   
4. To make the apricot compote: Cook the diced apricots in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, uncovered, until very soft, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat, bring to a simmer, and cook for another 5 minutes to thicken slightly. Set aside to cool completely. You should have about 6 tablespoons of the apricot compote.
   
5. To finish the tart: Using a mandoline slicer or very sharp knife, cut the zucchini into paper-thin slices.
   
6. Place the socca browned side up on a serving dish and spread with the apricot compote. Scatter the zucchini slices on top and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and the thyme.
   
7. Cut with a serrated knife and serve.