Shaved Zucchini Salad With Parmesan and Toasted Pine Nuts
I never appreciated raw zucchini until I tried this salad. It was 2008 in Italy at the Terra Madre conference where I was fortunate enough to attend as a delegate. Before that fortuitous encounter, I believe undercooked zucchini to be a missed opportunity relegated to steam tables at low-budget buffets alongside poorly done chicken parmesan. However, slicing zucchini squash into delicate slivers, tossing with a fresh lemon-olive oil dressing, and pairing with toasted pine nuts and parmesan (as is done in this salad) totally transforms the texture and flavor to be something purely delightful. The other great thing about this salad? It's incredibly quick to make, requires ingredients you are likely to already have around, and is the perfect addition to a summer dinner washed down with rose. Below recipe serves 4, but can easily be adapted to more or less people.
2 large zucchini (or summer squash)
Juice from 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 ounce pine nuts
1 ounce parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Using a mandolin, shave zucchini into thin rounds or thing long slices*.
Whisk lemon juice, olive oil, and a few pinches of salt and pepper. Toss zucchini in dressing and add more salt/pepper to taste.
Toast pine nuts in a cast iron pan on medium high for about 2 minutes, tossing frequently, until golden brown.
Top zucchini with pine nuts, grated parmesan, and parsley.
Serve at room temperature.
Delicate rings of raw zucchini to eat by the forkful.
Pasta Pomodoro with Tuna and Capers
Warm up quickly with spicy tomato and tuna pasta.
“If you want to use fresh pasta in this recipe, simply switch the order of preparation to make the sauce first and cook the pasta while the sauce is simmering, as fresh pasta takes only 1-2 minutes to cook. ”
I'm not glutenphobic or a carb-hater by any means, but my go-to meals at home in my adult life have rarely been pasta. Bulgur, barley, buckwheat? Definitely, but pasta? Infrequent, if ever. This routine changed when my pasta maker-wielding partner moved in. Making pasta from scratch transforms it from a vehicle for sauce and other ingredients to a culinary star that shines all on its own. It has also allowed for experimentation with combinations of flours, such as spelt and semolina.
The inspiration for this recipe came from a dinner at Boot and Shoe Service, with adaptations including whole wheat spaghetti in place of classic, more tuna in the sauce, and red pepper flakes. The great thing about this pasta is it can be made almost entirely from ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen right now (or you can purchase at any time because they do not go bad) and it's incredibly quick, as a pasta meal should be. Serves 2.
“For homemade pasta, use a 1:1 combination of spelt or whole wheat and semolina flours. ”
4 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti
1 tablespoon plus one teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 oil-packed anchovy, chopped (optional)
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained (reserve water)
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 can (5 to 6-ounces) good quality tuna, drained and flaked*
1-2 tablespoons California capers (or 2 teaspoons conventional capers)
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
Grated parmesan cheese and black pepper (optional)
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook spaghetti to “al dente” (cooked, but still firm), for 9-11 minutes or according to package instructions. Drain and toss with 1 teaspoon olive oil.
Heat remaining tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium. Add garlic and anchovies and cook until garlic is golden, stirring and breaking up anchovy with a wooden spoon, about 2 minutes.
Add tomatoes and crushed red pepper flakes and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Add reserved water from the tomato can as needed to prevent tomatoes from sticking to the skillet.
Once tomato consistency is sauce-like and thick, stir in tuna and capers and cook for another 2 minutes. Divide sauce evenly over cooked pasta and top with parsley and optional parmesan and black pepper. Serve hot.
*To use oil-packed tuna, drain the tuna and use oil from can in place of olive oil. Also be sure to refer to the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Guide for sustainable canned tuna choices.
Serve with: Roasted cauliflower-kale salad with citrus peel and nutmeg.