Garden Zucchinis

Now is the time to reap the fruit (and vegetables) of our spring labors. I like to forage in the early morning and gather the elements of our daily meals. A first tour will determine the progress of the plants, salad and herbs. Then armed with basket and scissors I harvest whatever I need. The earth is still moist with dew and the smells call for my intervention. Next to the verbena I have planted peas. While picking the pods, I brush its leaves and a delicate lemon fragrance whiffs by. Mint is the most invasive of plants (as are cherry tomatoes, which I have stopped planting long ago but keep showing up unexpectedly). In both cases I greet the uninvited guests with the same olfactory delight. Young chards of all hues catch my eye. Along with the peas and the young zucchinis they will make a nutritious salad with the addition of chickpeas.
Zucchinis are really the backbone of my summer garden. They keep fruiting for two months. Aptly named in English, they advertise their origin: Italy. Closely related to the squash and pumpkin this member of the vast cucurbit family native of South and Central America is a relatively new comer in our plates. It includes on one plant both male and female flowers. It is extremely generous: the more you harvest, the more it produces. The only challenge is to vary the recipes to prevent satiety. Because of its high water content, I prefer to bake or stir-fry zucchini. Sliced raw, it is a great addition to any salad. As it has relatively little taste as of itself, it is better accommodated with herbs, garlic and onions, olives and olive oil. Flavorful vegetables such as tomato and eggplant are also a good complement. The following recipes serve 4 and are but a few of the ones I will share this summer. The first, Fried zucchini flowers is an appetizer. The second, Zucchini Surprise, is a starter. The third is a filling vegan salad. The fourth, Zucchini au gratin, is a great side dish. Bon appétit.

Fried Zucchini flowers (Easy, Preparation and cooking time: 10 minutes, Cheap)

Ingredients:
24 zucchini flowers (preferably male. Leave some for fecundation)*
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup (250 ml) corn oil

Material:
Heavy-bottom pan
Salad bowl
Set of tongues
Paper towels

Wash and dry completely the flowers.
Place the flour and pepper in a bowl. Roll the flowers in.
Pour the oil in the pan and place on the highest setting of the gas. When it start smoking, add the flowers a few at the time. After 3 minutes turn them over. Place on a plate covered with paper towel. Serve warm or reserve to garnish the zucchini salad.

*Male flowers are attached to the plant by the stem and have a more open flower. Female are attached to the squash, which itself grows on the stem.
Zucchini Surprise (A little delicate, Preparation and cooking time: 20 minutes, Cheap)

Ingredients:
16 mini zucchini, flower attached
8 anchovies preserved in olive oil
1/3 cup (80g) Parmesan cheese grated
2 oz (40 g) fresh goat cheese
3 basil stems
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper
Material:
Food processor
Spoon
Ovenproof dish

Preheat the oven at 360F (180C). Wipe olive oil in the ovenproof dish with a paper towel.
Place ¾ of the Parmesan cheese, the goat cheese, the anchovies and the basil leaves in the food processor and pulse until you obtain a homogeneous paste.
Open delicately each flower without detaching it from its zucchini anchor. Remove the pistil and spoon-feed the flower with the paste. Lay the filled zucchini on the ovenproof dish. Repeat until you run out of paste and vegetable. Sprinkle with olive oil and the remainder of the Parmesan.
Bake for 15 minutes and serve immediately.
Swiss Chard, zucchini, peas and chickpea salad (Easy, Preparation and cooking time: 10 minutes, Cheap)

Ingredients:
For the salad
16 stems of chard
4 small zucchinis
1 cup (250g) fresh peas
2 cans chickpeas

For the no cheese pesto:
2 cloves garlic
3 stems basil (stem removed, leaves washed)
3 stems mint (stem removed, leaves washed)
1 coffee spoon of salt
¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil

Material:
Strainer
Can opener
Vegetable peeler
Heavy-bottom pan
Food processor

Place a pan of water over the high setting of the gas.
Clean all the vegetables.
Separate the chard leaves from the stem, and cut them roughly in pieces. Blanch the leaves and the peas at the same time by plunging them in the boiling water. When the boil resumes, remove and strain them. Refresh with cold water.
Open the chickpea cans. Strain and rinse the chickpeas.
Without peeling them, form ribbons of zucchini, using the vegetable peeler.
Place all the vegetables in a salad bowl.
Place all the ingredients of the pesto in the food processor and pulse. Add just enough of the sauce to the vegetables to coat them. Serve on each plate with zucchini fried flowers all around.

Zucchini au gratin (Easy, Preparation and cooking time: ½ hour, Cheap)

Ingredients:
1lbs (500 g) zucchini cubed
½ cup (250 g) Gouda cheese
2 tablespoons cumin powder
1cup milk
2 eggs

Material:
6 muffin silicone molds
1 salad bowl
1 wooden spoon

Preheat the oven at 360F (180 C).
Mix in the salad bowl the milk eggs cumin powder and cheese. Add the zucchini, salt and pepper. Garnish the molds and cook for 25 minutes.
Set directly on a serving plate or an individual plate.
The gratins are good as a side dish for a barbecue.