Gad-Zukes!

This past spring you heard several times about how much citrus got left on our doorstep. But it wasn't always that way.

Back when we lived in Maine, it was zucchini. Everyone grew it in their gardens; it was easy, fairly carefree, and prolific. Really prolific. And sacks of it appeared on our doorstep, sometimes anonymously, as gifts.

In that season, zucchini bread was rampant. Zucchini muffins followed. How about chocolate-zucchini cake? In these recipes, the zucchini isn't the star. It is a non-flavored additive. A filler.

Today, zoodles are all the rage, zucchini masquerading as noodles. Spoiler alert: zoodles aren't spaghetti. Neither is spaghetti squash. (Mind you, I love spaghetti squash, although have never had zoodles...)

My recipe today isn't far from the concept of zoodles, except that my dish is a side dish, not a vegetable pretending to be pasta.

Today, I made a salad of thin ribbons of zucchini marinated in olive oil, lemon juice, mint, and feta, as a side to burgers and corn on the cob. Quintessential summer fare. 

I loves me my zucchini, like Popeye loves his spinach..

Happy Summer!

~ David

Zucchini, Feta, and Mint Salad

3 smallish zucchini

4-6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

juice of 1 lemon

50 mint leaves, chopped - about 2 tablespoons

1/3 pound best-quality feta cheese, crumbled

salt, to taste

Trim the ends of the zucchini. Using a vegetable peeler (or a mandoline), make flat, wide ribbons and place in a large bowl. Add 4 tablespoons olive oil, and the juice of the lemon. Toss well. Add the chopped mint and the feta cheese. Season lightly with salt, mindful of the saltiness of the feta cheese. Toss well. Add more olive oil as necessary to create a good balance between the oil, lemon juice, and feta.

Serve immediately, or allow to marinate for 1-2 hours to bring out the best flavor and soften the zucchini ribbons.

Serves 4.