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Zucchini has three virtuesA patch of zucchini vines run rampant means that everyone in your neighborhood has to sweep them off of the doorstep. One big fella all by himself can bake a cake, or make a casserole for the entire family. We should be exporting the seeds to every country in the world where there are hungry people, low-income people, or creative cooks. The second virtue that this vegetable of the vine has is its versatility. Zucchini can be used in everything from cakes, cookies and breads to omelets, pancakes, casseroles and side dishes. You name it, zucchini can be a part of almost any dish you want to name....wellll, maybe not ice cream and candy. What can the third virtue be? That fried zucchini blossoms promise to bring love to your palate at first bite. And, they deliver the flavor of summer, even in September. When you are choosing the blossoms to fry, choose the males. They don't produce a vegetable but exist to pollinate the females. They are recognizable by their long, straight stems and the unmistakably male-looking stamen in the center of each blossom. Females swell at the base of the blossom, where the squash forms, and four little shoots make up the pistil inside. Some chefs like to fry female blossoms when the baby zucchini is just emerging and still attached, but Mexican and Italian purists would never hear of it. Other chefs like to remove the stamen from the male flowers, but it isn't necessary. Two Ways to Cook Zucchini Blossoms Whichever way you choose be certain to check the inside of the blossoms for bugs. You don't want to find a little extra protein in your first bite. Method 1: 2/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup beer or club soda 1 inch of vegetable oil Make a thin batter by whisking the flour into the beer or club soda. Heat one-inch of oil in a saucepan to 375 F. Dip the washed, patted dry, and inspected for bugs blossoms into the batter and into the oil, 2 or 3 at a time, and fry until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels and season with salt. Method 2: 2/3 cup all-purpose flour Salt and pepper Other herbs of choice, such as herbs d'Provence, optional 2 tablespoons butter Rinse the blossoms briefly, lightly dredge them in seasoned flour and then sauté in melted butter 2 or 3 at a time (you don't want the butter to cool off, nor do you want it to turn brown). The resulting blooms won't be crisp or hold their shape, like the fried ones, but the buttery flavor is hard not to like. Zucchini Omelet A tender, flat omelet that is very tender and good either off the range or at room temperature, which means the omelets can be made 20 to 30 minutes ahead. 1 pound small zucchini 1 teaspoons salt, or more 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon finely chopped marjoram or a pinch of dried marjoram 2 large eggs 1 large pinch black pepper 1 tablespoon butter Trim ends of zucchini, and then coarsely grate on large holes of grater. Toss zucchini with 1 teaspoon salt in large bowl and let stand 30 minutes. Transfer to colander, then squeeze handfuls very hard, to remove excess liquid. Heat oil in 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté zucchini, stirring until golden. Remove skillet from heat and stir in marjoram and then let mixture cool to warm, about 15 minutes. (All oft his can be done ahead.) Lightly beat eggs with zucchini, pepper, and a pinch of salt in large bowl (use a fork). Heat butter in 7- or 8-inch skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides. Add egg mixture, spreading zucchini evenly. Lift mixture around edges occasionally to let any uncooked egg flow underneath, until egg mixture is set around edge, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to low and cook until omelet is softly set but top is still moist. If you wish, you can invert the omelet to brown both sides. Makes 1 serving. Quick Sautéed Corn & Zucchini Serve this colorful dish with anything you are cooking on the grill and skip the potatoes. Or toss it with pasta and serve as a main course. You can add a little cream or white wine, if you feel it is too dry for pasta. 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped, or pressed garlic 2 cups corn (from about 4 ears) 2 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick pieces 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon salt Black pepper 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro or Italian parsley Heat oil in heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook scallions until soft. Add garlic ad cook, stirring 1 minute. Add corn, zucchini, cumin, salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until zucchini is tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in cilantro and season to taste. Makes 4 to 6 servings. Roasted Zucchini & Radishes When roasted radishes lose their bite and are a perfect complement for the mellow sweetness of cooked zucchini. 2 pounds zucchini 7 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 3 bunches large radishes (about 2 1/4 lbs. with greens) Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven, then put baking pans on racks and preheat oven to 450 F. Halve the zucchini lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces. Toss with 1/4 cup of oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Halve radishes lengthwise, the cut crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces. Toss with remaining 3 tablespoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread zucchini in pan on lower rack and radishes in pan on upper rack. Roast vegetables, without stirring, until lightly browned and tender, 20 to 30 minutes, then toss together in a bowl and serve. Makes 8 servings. Zucchini--the all around the clock vegetable! Date: 8/31/07
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