It’s that time of year again. Zucchini season is well and truly upon us. And if you’d like to expand your zucchini book of knowledge, read on. All Recipes (www.allrecipes.com) focused an entire newsletter on this one veggie recently, and boy was it an education.

First comes advice on storing it correctly. Smaller sizes are the best. Before tucking it into your fridge, don’t wash it. An extra step is to roll it around in a paper towel to remove any extra moisture, then place it in a ventilated plastic bag in the crisper drawer. The All Recipes researchers say properly stored zucchini stays good in the fridge for about five to seven days.

Next, there are several ways to cut it. Start by setting up a safe spot to work by placing your cutting board on a damp paper towel (to prevent the board from moving as you work). Use sharp knives (a chef’s knife and a paring knife) for the task. Zucchini can be cut into:

·         Rounds (perfect for casseroles and as a side dish)

·         Half moons (also good for casseroles and sides, as well as salads)

·         Planks (excellent for grilling, lasagna, and rolls)

·         Ribbons (delicious raw in salads, quickly sautéed as a low-carb pasta alternative, or grilled on skewers)

·         Spears (yummy for dipping and when fried)

·         Dices (delicious in salads and soups)

And, how about freezing it? It does freeze well, but there are a couple things to know: It should be blanched first to maintain texture and lock in color. Doing so also helps shorten the cooking time once you are ready to add it to your next dish.

Before you freeze it, think about how you want to use it in the future. For instance, do you make a lot of stir-fries or sauteed vegetable dishes? Then dice or chop the zucchini. Do you love the idea of making pasta with zucchini noodles (aka zoodles)? Then grab your spiralizer and turn them into noodles first. Or, if you will you be adding some to your muffins, pancakes, smoothies, or fritters, you’ll want to grate it before freezing.

Lastly, there’s no need to thaw frozen zucchini before cooking it. In fact, doing so degrades its texture, turning it super-soft and mushy. But because earlier blanching already partially cooked it, you’ll want to keep a watchful eye on it as it cooks.

I’ll close with a drool-worthy recipe using grated zucchini. This is an All Recipe treasure and is one of our very favorite ways to eat it.

No Fry Easy Zucchini Parmesan

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic grated
2 small zucchini grated
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven’s broiler. Grease an 8-inch baking pan.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add zucchini, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Increase heat to medium; cook and stir until zucchini is almost soft, about 7 minutes. Drain excess liquid.

Transfer zucchini mixture to the prepared baking pan; sprinkle Mexican cheese blend and Parmesan over zucchini.

Broil in the preheated oven until cheeses are melted and start to turn brown, about 7 minutes.

NOTE: The ingredient quantities work well “to your taste!”

Recipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Software from DVO Enterprises.