I am not so fortunate to have a prolific backyard garden, and I have yet this season to feel overwhelmed by anything from my CSA, but when I saw a Bam Bam-sized pale green club on a friend’s counter, I knew the time had come — the time to pull out the zucchini-recipe file, to scour the Internet, to ask anyone and everyone for zucchini-culling inspiration.
This recipe essentially is an adaptation of the No Breading, No Frying, No Fussing Eggplant Parmesan from last summer, calling for roasting zucchini rounds for 10 minutes, then layering them with homemade sauce and parmesan cheese. A breadcrumb topping — fresh crumbs mixed with parmesan cheese, olive oil, salt and pepper — finishes it all off: it bakes for 25 minutes or until golden and bubbling.
I’ve used my favorite red pepper tomato sauce recipe , not only because I love it but also because I find it simpler than other tomato sauces — there’s no peeling, no food mill, etc. After the tomatoes and peppers stew in a small amount of water (which sounds odd, but it works) for about 25 minutes, you purée them with basil, butter, and olive oil. Of course, your favorite tomato sauce will work well here.
Have a wonderful weekend, Everyone!
PS: More pepper , zucchini , and tomato recipes .
Description
This zucchini parmesan follows the same simple method as the No Breading, No Frying, No Fussing Eggplant Parmesan recipe from last summer I’ve included my favorite simple red pepper-tomato sauce recipe below, but feel free to use your own favorite sauce. If you use this one, make the sauce before you get going on the gratin — you can prep everything for the gratin as the sauce simmers away.
- 2 lbs. zucchini, ends trimmed, sliced into rounds 1/4-inch thick
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for the topping, plus about 3/4 cup more for layering
- your favorite tomato sauce (recipe for red pepper tomato sauce is below, or whatever tomato sauce you love)
- Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Arrange the zucchini in single layers on two Silat- or parchment-lined rimmed sheet pans. Season with salt and pepper on each side, drizzle each pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil, toss to coat, then spread into an even layer. Roast for 10 minutes. Remove pans from oven and set aside.
- Reduce oven to 400ºF.
- Meanwhile, make the breadcrumb topping: toss the breadcrumbs with the 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Into a circular gratin dish (about 9 inches in diameter) or a 9-by-9-inch or similar baking pan, spoon a small amount of sauce (about a heaping 1/3 cup), then add a thin scattering of parmigiano, then a single layer of zucchini, shingling the slices slightly. Repeat until all ingredients are used, ending with a little sauce and cheese—you should have about 3 layers of zucchini. Top with the breadcrumb mixture.
- Bake until the mixture is bubbly and top is golden, 25 minutes or so depending on size of pan and thickness of layers. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving. This also tastes great at room temperature.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Category: Gratin
Method: Oven
Cuisine: American
2 red bell peppers, stemmed and seeded, diced to yield about 2 cups
2 beefsteak tomatoes, diced to yield about 2 cups
kosher salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons olive oil
- Place peppers and tomatoes in a medium-sized saucepan or pot. Pour in 1/2 cup water and turn heat to high. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer, then turn heat down to medium high. Set a timer for 25 minutes. After about five minutes, the tomatoes and peppers will begin to release their juices, and the whole mixture should be bubbling. Adjust the heat if necessary so that the mixture stays at a constant bubble — medium to medium-high should do it. Stir every five minutes or so to make sure the tomatoes and peppers are not sticking to the bottom of the pan. If they are, add water by the 1/4 cup.
- When the peppers and tomatoes are tender and nearly all of the liquid has evaporated and the tomatoes and peppers are beginning to stick to pot, add the basil, butter, and oil to the pot, give it a stir, then transfer the contents of the pot to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. Taste. Adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper as necessary.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
Description
This zucchini parmesan follows the same simple method as the No Breading, No Frying, No Fussing Eggplant Parmesan recipe from last summer I’ve included my favorite simple red pepper-tomato sauce recipe below, but feel free to use your own favorite sauce. If you use this one, make the sauce before you get going on the gratin — you can prep everything for the gratin as the sauce simmers away.
- 2 lbs. zucchini, ends trimmed, sliced into rounds 1/4-inch thick
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for the topping, plus about 3/4 cup more for layering
- your favorite tomato sauce (recipe for red pepper tomato sauce is below, or whatever tomato sauce you love)
- Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Arrange the zucchini in single layers on two Silat- or parchment-lined rimmed sheet pans. Season with salt and pepper on each side, drizzle each pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil, toss to coat, then spread into an even layer. Roast for 10 minutes. Remove pans from oven and set aside.
- Reduce oven to 400ºF.
- Meanwhile, make the breadcrumb topping: toss the breadcrumbs with the 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Into a circular gratin dish (about 9 inches in diameter) or a 9-by-9-inch or similar baking pan, spoon a small amount of sauce (about a heaping 1/3 cup), then add a thin scattering of parmigiano, then a single layer of zucchini, shingling the slices slightly. Repeat until all ingredients are used, ending with a little sauce and cheese—you should have about 3 layers of zucchini. Top with the breadcrumb mixture.
- Bake until the mixture is bubbly and top is golden, 25 minutes or so depending on size of pan and thickness of layers. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving. This also tastes great at room temperature.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Gratin
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Find it online : https://alexandracooks.com/2016/08/05/zucchini-parmesan/
- 2 red bell peppers, stemmed and seeded, diced to yield about 2 cups
- 2 beefsteak tomatoes, diced to yield about 2 cups
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
- 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Place peppers and tomatoes in a medium-sized saucepan or pot. Pour in 1/2 cup water and turn heat to high. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer, then turn heat down to medium high. Set a timer for 25 minutes. After about five minutes, the tomatoes and peppers will begin to release their juices, and the whole mixture should be bubbling. Adjust the heat if necessary so that the mixture stays at a constant bubble — medium to medium-high should do it. Stir every five minutes or so to make sure the tomatoes and peppers are not sticking to the bottom of the pan. If they are, add water by the 1/4 cup.
- When the peppers and tomatoes are tender and nearly all of the liquid has evaporated and the tomatoes and peppers are beginning to stick to pot, add the basil, butter, and oil to the pot, give it a stir, then transfer the contents of the pot to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. Taste. Adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper as necessary.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
Find it online : https://alexandracooks.com/2016/08/05/zucchini-parmesan/
Shortly after reading about Lukas Volger’s toasted bulgur bowl on the Tipsy Baker , I made it in its entirety. We then feasted on the leftovers the following two evenings, and yesterday for a little Olympics-viewing get together, I introduced the neighbors to what I can’t seem to get enough of: a mix of bulgur and lentils, chopped cucumbers and tomatoes, toasted almonds, cilantro, and a lemon-tahini dressing.
I’ve adapted the recipe a little bit to what I’ve had on hand — this, after all, is the beauty of a grain bowl, right? — but here are the essential components:
An assertive dressing . I tend to dress everything with olive oil and vinegar, but Volger’s mix of lemon, tahini, garlic, and cumin is a nice change, and it complements the bulgur and lentils so well — slightly creamy, slightly smokey, slightly tangy. I recommend making a double batch, which will give you 1 1/2 cups of dressing to use all week.
A mix of grains and legumes . Cooking two starches always feels too much like hard work — what’s wrong with using one? — but the additional textures and flavors supplied by one more really makes for a more interesting overall bowl. Also, there are many quick-cooking grains and legumes that don’t require soaking. Bulgur steams in about 15 minutes. Lentils cook in 25. I plan on trying quinoa next.
Vegetables . We are in constant supply of cucumbers and tomatoes at the moment, so that’s what I’ve been using, but use what you have on hand. The first night, I added sautéed chard.
Herbs : cilantro, basil, mint, parsley, chives are all good options.
Nuts : We always have sliced almonds on hand, and if you toast a big batch of them, you can use them over the coarse of several days.
That’s it! There’s no additional protein — this bowl, which is surprisingly filling, doesn’t need it — and when you have some of the components prepared ahead of time, the assembly happens quickly: scoop bulgur and lentils into bowls, top with cucumbers and tomatoes, top with cilantro and toasted almonds, drizzle with lemon-tahini dressing.
My mother recently introduced me to this Achva tahini, which is very nice:
This version included sautéed Swiss chard:
Description
This bowl is inspired by the Toasted Bulgur Bowl in Lukas Volger’s Bowl . Original recipe can be found here.
I suggest making a double batch of the dressing to make assembly of bowls on subsequent evenings a breeze:
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 6 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
Notes:
There was no sweetener in the original dressing, but I love a teensy bit of honey or maple syrup in tahini dressings.
Grains can be cooked ahead and stored in the fridge. I like to bring them to room temperature (if time permits) before serving.
Also, original recipe calls for toasting the bulgur first … I’ve been feeling lazy, so I skip this step, but check out the original recipe for details.
1/2 cup lentils, I like the French green variety
1 1/2 cups coarse bulgur
1 to 2 cucumbers, peeled and finely diced
1 to 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes or diced tomatoes
herbs such as cilantro, basil, mint, parsley, coarsely chopped if large
1/4 to 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
flaky sea salt and pepper to taste
lemon wedges, for serving
for the dressing (see notes above for double batch):
- 1/4 cup well-stirred tahini
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon honey or maple syrup, optional
- 1/4 cup water, plus more as needed
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt and the lentils. Simmer until cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. Drain.
- Meanwhile, place the bulgur in a large bowl. Pour over enough boiling water to cover by 2 inches. Cover with a lid or plate and let stand for 10 to 20 minutes, until chewy-tender. Drain through a fine-mesh sieve. (See notes re toasting bulgur first.)
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, lemon, garlic, cumin, salt, and honey, if using. Slowly drizzle in the water, stirring to combine. Add more water if necessary to thin to pourable consistency.
- To assemble bowls, scoop some bulgur into each bowl, spoon some lentils over top. Scatter over a handful of diced cucumbers, tomatoes, herbs, and almonds. Drizzle with the lemon-tahini dressing. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste. Serve with lemon wedges and more dressing on the side.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
