By: Bethany Prekopa, Direct Marketing Program Manager
Currently, farmers markets are flooded with all of the freshest produce and one vegetable in particular is one I am most excited for—zucchini, zucchini, zucchini. A vegetable that is so versatile that the health industry has made it into an alternative for noodles….bold move in the carb world, am I right? Whether you’ve had a zoodle (zucchini noodle!) or you like your zucchini simple, there is a host of recipes out there to appeal to every eater. Did you know that zucchini was first brought to the United States in the 1920s? You can find the squash in a number of Italian and Italian-American dishes, which makes sense since ‘zucca’ means squash in Italian! One of my favorite zucchini dishes is ‘fiori di zucca’, which is made with the zucchini flower. The flower is cleaned, stuffed with a ricotta/mozzarella mixture, then fried in a light batter. So scrumptious!
Besides being delicious, zucchini contains a host of vitamins and minerals. Packed with zeaxanthin, a compound that helps with preventing oxidative stress, this summer squash can aid in limiting the likelihood of developing cancer (zeaxanthin also helps protect eye cells i.e. prevents cataracts and other eye problems). It is also rich in vitamin B6, which helps with regulating blood sugar and thus, can help protect against diabetes.
Zucchini season typically runs from June-September in Kentucky. The plants have to wait to be seeded until the danger of frost has passed. Many farmers use black plastic on raised beds and trickle irrigation to warm soil temperatures faster and protect the plants against a late, unexpected frost. It is ready to harvest 2-5 days after flowering, which means harvest may be every day or every other day. Bountiful harvests are wonderful, but sometimes farmers have to get creative with extra produce. Aside from selling the zucchini or blossoms, many farmers markets boast zucchini value-added products. Zucchini bread and relish are just two products I see every single week at the markets!
Already love zucchini, but want to try something new? Not sure how to cook zucchini or just plain don’t like it? Give these recipes below a try!
Zucchini Fries with Garlic Scape Aioli
These can be baked in the oven as listed below or shallow fried in about 2 inches of oil in a saucepan. It depends on the level of crispiness you’d like. I prefer the crunch of the shallow fry, but when looking for a healthier option, the baked is just as good. You can also add in your favorite seasoning to the panko mixture—we used a little bit of Lowry’s seasoning salt and it was perfection! Check out our Facebook page for our recent video making this recipe!
- Zucchini Fries Ingredients
- 3 small zucchini
- 2 eggs
- 1 pinch salt
- Ground black pepper
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Preheat oven to 425F. Slice the zucchinis into 3-inch length by ½-inch thick strips. In a bowl, add the pinch of salt and 3 dashed of ground black pepper to the eggs. Beat well until combined. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a big plate or container, mix together the panko and Parmesan cheese. Start dropping the zucchini strips into the beaten eggs. Then take the strips out of the egg mixture, shaking off the excess before rolling with the panko mixture, pressing gently to coat well. Transfer the zucchini strips to the baking sheet and repeat until all the strips are coated.
- Bake in the oven, turning the fries halfway through, until golden brown and crispy, about 20-25 minutes. Serve with the dipping sauce of your choice—we recommend the aioli below!
Recipe by: https://rasamalaysia.com/parmesan-zucchini-fries/#mv-creation-457
Aioli Ingredients:
Make this aioli first or even the night before so that the flavors can develop in the fridge!
- 1 large egg, a room temperature
- 2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 3/4 cup neutral flavored oil
- ¼ cup finely minced garlic scapes
- 1 small clove of garlic, finely minced
- Pinch of salt
- Separate the room temperature egg and place the egg yolk in a small bowl with high sides. Discard of use the egg white for another purpose. Whisk in the fresh squeezed lemon juice.
- Slowly, a few drops at a time, whisk in the oil. Once the aioli starts to thicken you can begin the pour the oil in a little faster. If the oil starts to build up at all stop pouring and whisk briskly to incorporate it. Continue until all the oil has been incorporated and the aioli is nice and thick.
- Add the garlic scapes and finely minced garlic and stir together well. Season to taste with sea salt.
Recipe by: https://www.theendlessmeal.com/green-beans-with-garlic-scapes-aioli/
Zoodles (Zucchini Noodles)
Zoodles are some of the easiest “pasta” to make! You don’t want to boil them or you’ll get very, very mushy vegetables. The best & tastiest way to prepare zoodles is to saute them for about a minute in a saute pan with the sauce of your choice or simply olive oil and garlic. Also, you don’t have to have a spiralizer to enjoy zoodles, although we do recommend it! You can find pre-spiralized zoodles at many grocery stores or pick up a hand spiralizer and get the kids involved—it can be quite fun and you can spiralize a number of different vegetables!
Example Zoodles:
- Wash your zucchini and dry it so you have a good grip for the spiralizer. Using a hand spiralizer, twist your zucchini into spaghetti spirals! These can be very long so make sure to cut them in half to make sure they are manageable to eat.
- Once your spirals are ready to go, heat up some olive oil on medium-high heat. Add in some minced garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. Let sauté for about a minute—don’t let the garlic burn!
- After about a minute, add in the zoodles and let them sauté with the garlic oil for a minute. Turn the heat off, add some grated Parmesan, and enjoy!
