what's for dinner in July?

[awakenedsoul]

Awakenedsoul - boiled zucchini? Really? I can't see the appeal, do you drizzle any butter or sauces over it?

Sometimes I sautee it in olive oil, (cut up like matchsticks) and season with fresh garlic, salt, pepper, and fresh parmesan. Other times, I just boil it whole, then slice it in half lengthwise, and have it with butter and seasonings. It's kind of like a potato. I mash it up. This way I can cook some for the dogs, too. (They don't get any butter, salt or pepper on theirs.)

[Aroha]

Sometimes I sautee it in olive oil, (cut up like matchsticks) and season with fresh garlic, salt, pepper, and fresh parmesan. Other times, I just boil it whole, then slice it in half lengthwise, and have it with butter and seasonings. It's kind of like a potato. I mash it up. This way I can cook some for the dogs, too. (They don't get any butter, salt or pepper on theirs.)

Oh, ok. Maybe worth a try. Could cook in the same pot as potatoes maybe? As a lower carb alternative. Or even mash them together? I have never ever ever considered doing zucchini this way, but when you get a glut you really have to get creative.

[awakenedsoul]

Sure, it's kind of like baby food. I like it. I learned it from a South African lady who I rented a room from in my teens. She was a famous Balanchine dancer in NYCB> She would serve something like lamb, a salad, and one whole zucchini per person cooked this way. She was a follower of Dr. Bieler, who wrote Food Is Your Best Medicine. He was ahead of his time. He was really big on eating zucchini, green beans, and parsley.

I like the younger zucchini better. They are tender, and have a delicious flavor.

[ApatheticNoMore]

Since it fits the thread: zuchinnis are really good cooked up in pesto as well, slice them, sautee in olive oil, with some pesto. I also like them sauteed in oilve oil with a bit of not very oily roasted red pepper vinegrette. Just plain sauted in olive oil with or without cheese will do of course.

[Blackdog Lin]

Okay, loving all the zucchini ideas. I've put away 3 quarts in the freezer, which is about all that we'll eat before they get too old, and now am focused on just incorporating them into my menus. Thank goodness that unlike the cucumbers, the zucchini are only producing normally, not going crazy, so I only have to deal with 2-3 a week. Might try some of your new ideas this next week.

We have been eating so well this week that it is almost.....I don't know, obscene, embarrassing. I don't mean eating to excess, I mean being lucky enough to be enjoying all we want of fresh-from-the-garden produce. Seriously, I sent a check (could, because we're not spending much at the grocery store lately) to the local food pantry because I feel kinda guilty in our garden-produce glut. (of course we're giving lots of it away too.) I mean, how can you top:

Grilled pork steaks with fried okra (garden to table: 2 hours. now that's fresh!) and marinated cukes (sigh.) Then turkey club sandwiches with garden tomatoes and lettuce (gifted lettuce) and cukes on the side. Then homemade chicken taquitos using garden onions and peppers, with fried zucchini sticks (again, 2 hours garden to table), and fresh homemade picante (DH is in the middle of canning it) for the tacquitos. And today grilled chicken thighs and garden green beans (garlic-butter style).

I am grateful. (and full.)

[awakenedsoul]

Congratulations on your garden, Blackdog Lin. That's fantastic. I probably should have planted some peppers this season...next year. I did plant some Cinderella pumpkin seeds very late in the season and they are sprouting. They make a nice conversation piece in the cottage garden, and are good for soup. I love roasting the seeds, too.

Made a homemade salsa tonight and had that on a quesadilla with avocado. I stopped buying chocolate and was craving it tonight, so I made a mug of cocoa. I used Agave instead of sugar and it tasted great! Made my first batch of the NY Times no knead bread recipe. I was amazed at how fast and easy it was to make the dough! It's setting now for 18 hours.... quite exciting! Should be having that for dinner tomorrow with my parents.

[Gregg]

Eggplant lasagna. Eggplant korma. Eggplant curry. Eggplant parmesan. Guess what went ballistic in our garden this year?

[IshbelRobertson]

When we have a glut of courgettes, I slice them thinly, coat in tempura batter and deep fry as an appetiser.

[Blackdog Lin]

Gregg: I laughed. Out loud. And then I snort-laughed. Thank you.

(what is korma?)

[Gregg]

Lin, its Indian. Similar to a curry. We serve it with rice. We also make it pretty spicy since our peppers are keeping pace with the eggplant.