After many years of home gardening, I’ve learned that two zucchini plants is one too many. Good grief, they produce enough for a farmstand. Fortunately, my recipe collection can keep up with the harvest. And they are so tasty right now—with firm flesh, thin skin and no seeds. But let’s face it: even the best zucchini appreciate a flavor boost. Cheese to the rescue. I’ve been reacquainting myself with my zucchini recipe archive and thought you might welcome some inspiration, too. If you don’t have a garden, you surely have a farmers’ market nearby or neighbors dropping their surplus on your porch in the dead of night. Just look at what can happen when zucchini meets cheese.
Grilled Zucchini with Yogurt Sauce, Feta, Lemon and Dill
If you’re grilling lamb, chicken or salmon, make room on the grill for these yummy Greek-ish zucchini (pictured above). At my house, we like them so much that we dispense with the meat and just have the grilled zucchini with bulgur, couscous or rice. From Yogurt: Sweet and Savory Recipes for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.
Zucchini Sifnos-Style with Feta, Pine Nuts and Mint
I had this dish at Omega 3, a beachfront taverna in Platys Gialos, Sifnos, where it comes with a complimentary view of the Aegean. You can also simply lay the zucchini slices flat on a platter rather than rolling them. The presentation isn’t quite as dramatic but the flavor is the same.
Summer Squash Carpaccio with Sheep Cheese, Arugula and Almonds
Photo: Sara Remington
Long, straight-sided green and gold zucchini look like ribbons when shaved for this salad. A brief rest in a garlicky vinaigrette renders them supple, so they can be tossed with arugula and shavings of manouri or ricotta salata. From Eating Local: The Cookbook Inspired by America’s Farmers.
Zucchini Risotto with Burrata
I’ve been making zucchini risotto forever but had never thought to plop burrata on top until I saw such a dish on Principato di Lucedio’s Instagram. This historic farm in Piemonte grows fabulous Carnaroli rice—I visited years ago—so the Lucedio Instagram is a rich source of risotto ideas. The chef used stracciatella, but burrata is easier to find and similar; stracciatella is what’s inside burrata.
Baked Ricotta-Stuffed Zucchini
Serve hot, warm or at room temperature with any grilled meat, or with a tomato sauce underneath. This excellent recipe comes from cooking teacher Rosetta Costantino, with whom I collaborated on My Calabria (W. W. Norton).