Zucchini Salad with Pecorino and Almonds Recipe
Many salad recipes call for shaving raw zucchini into long strands, which looks whimsical but often leads to soggy squash. Cutting zucchini into thicker batons helps the vegetable retain some bite. Douse the strips with a bright garlic-caper vinaigrette, tender herbs and tangy pecorino, and just before serving, toss in some chopped almonds for crunch. This zucchini salad makes a great starter or a side, but it can also be the foundation of a meal: Add it to cooked penne or pearl couscous for a quick pasta salad, or scatter it over a slice of grilled bread that’s been slathered with mascarpone or ricotta.
Ingredients:
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3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
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1 small shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
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2 tablespoons capers, chopped, plus 2 teaspoons caper brine
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1 teaspoon lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon juice
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1 garlic clove, minced
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Kosher salt and black pepper
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3 medium zucchini or summer squash (6 to 7 ounces each)
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⅓ cup shaved Pecorino-Romano cheese
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¼ cup torn fresh basil
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¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
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⅓ cup roasted salted almonds, chopped
Preparation:
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In a small bowl, stir together the oil, shallot, capers, caper brine, lemon zest, lemon juice and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
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Trim the ends of the zucchini and cut each squash into 2-inch segments. Slice the segments lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick slabs, then slice those slabs lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick batons. Add to a large bowl.
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Just before serving, season the zucchini with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Stir in the cheese, herbs and dressing and season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the almonds and serve immediately.
Notes:
I added some grilled shrimp and quinoa(1 cup). Two garlic cloves instead of one and 2 teaspoons of lemon zest and two tablespoons of lemon juice. An excellent summer dinner.
You might consider toasting chopped almonds and adding the almonds directly from the oven to the dressing to let it sizzle and slightly cook down the garlic and melt the anchovies.
You might consider trying these herbs: Add 2T dill, 1T tarragon, 2 T chives, 2T flat parsley
This recipe is from the New York Times Cooking Section By Alexa Weibel.
