Like most cooks, I often have to come up with things on the fly often in a teaching situation. You plan one thing weeks in advance then show up to teach a class and everything that can possibly go wrong does. Ingredients weren’t purchased. The oven is broken. No one shows up. Or better yet, everyone shows up and brings a friend. One night it was a perfect storm of a few of these things and I had to come up with a quick and easy vegetable dish to fill out the menu that didn’t use the now defunct oven. I found a large bag of zucchini in fridge, purchased for the next days classes, so I took them. With minimal effort they became grilled zucchini with a garlicky lemon gremolata for a crowd. The idea was pulled from somewhere in the deep archives of my brain; maybe I read it somewhere, maybe I even ate it somewhere. Regardless, I had the ingredients on hand, it was delicious and it worked. It worked so well in fact, I made it frequently after that night, both in classes and for myself.
I hear people have a lot of zucchini this time of year. I am not one of those people, as tomatoes are my game, but this is a good one for those folks. Grilled and roasted zucchini gets old and tired after the 6th or 7th time and there’s only so much balsamic glaze one can stomach. Which is why I like a gremolata so much – fresh herbs, garlic and lemon. What’s not to like? It’s the traditional garnish to osso bucco, lending a bright fresh punch to that long simmered dish. An osso bucco gremolata is traditionally made with parsley but as zucchini can be rather bland, I prefer more assertive herbs like oregano and rosemary. They brings that same sunny herbal flavor that pairs so well with the slight smokiness from the grill and neatly straddles those few perfect weeks between late summer and early fall.
STRESS THERAPY BAKING FACTOR: SEPTEMBER SALVATION (especially if you have a lot of zucchini lying about.) This is beautiful alongside grilled meats, particularly lamb, and is also great with sweet corn or a nice tomato salad. If you don’t make this now, file it away for the colder months when you can still get good zucchini in the grocery store. The bright lemony topping is a welcome respite from those grey, dreary days when what you really need is a reminder that it doesn’t stay miserable forever.
Six years ago: Galette de Gayon – Fig Walnut & Honey Galette
Five years ago: Peach Sorbetto
Four years ago: Sweet Corn Soup
Three years ago: Bastille Day Lunch – Figgy BBQ Sauce
Two years ago: Bloody Mary Vinaigrette
Last year: Gateau Breton – (a beautiful French butter cake)
GRILLED ZUCCHINI WITH GARLIC HERB GREMOLATA
Serves 4
I often use a stovetop grill pan for the zucchini. It can take a bit of time as the zucchini strips are large and the pan is small but maybe you don’t feel like firing up that grill, you know? If you’re grilling in batches, toss with a bit of the gremolata as it comes off the grill. The heat slightly cooks and tames the raw garlic for a milder flavor.
4 large zucchini cut lengthwise into ½” thick ribbons
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh oregano leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
zest of 1 lemon, finely minced
1 garlic clove, minced
kosher salt and pepper
- Prepare the grill (medium-high heat), preheat broiler or heat a stovetop grill pan over high heat.
- Cut the zucchini lengthwise into ¼” thick ribbons; a mandoline works great if you have one. If not, use a sharp chef’s knife, a steady hand and supreme confidence.
- Make the gremolata by finely chopping and combining the herbs, garlic, lemon zest and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Brush zucchini with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Grill or broil until zucchini is just tender and takes on some grill marks, about 3-4 minutes per side. Take care not to overcook. Some texture is desired.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and toss with the gremolata while warm. Serve warm or room temperature.
STRESSCAKE 
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