Ali Slagle’s school for zucchini skeptics

By Ali Slagle, The New York Times

So often when I happen upon zucchini in a dish, it seems uncomfortable to be there, its texture and flavor hesitant. The lanky vegetable sometimes reminds me of a teenager going through a growth spurt, unsure of how to move through its surroundings. Are you mushy or tender? Bland or mild? And anything I can do to help?

While I used to just pick around it (sorry, bud), I’ve wanted to better understand zucchini and how it likes to be treated in our cooking. My whole job developing recipes is to bring ease and joy to the everyday, starting with ingredients that are easy to find or that you may already have on hand. And these days, that’s zucchini, whether I like it or not.

This week’s recipes highlight five ways I have learned to appreciate this abundant vegetable.

1. Kerala-Style Vegetable Korma

By Zainab Shah

A korma can be made with any combination of meats and vegetables, braised or stewed. In the Indian coastal state of Kerala, where coconuts are abundant, vegetable korma is made with desiccated fresh coconut and coconut milk. This quick, convenient version uses the same foundation — onion, tomatoes, ginger and garlic — while skipping the fresh coconut. It works just as well with whatever combination of fresh or frozen vegetables that might be handy. Cashew butter is used in place of making a paste from soaked cashews. Black mustard seeds add complex bitterness; Thai green chiles, black pepper and garam masala give it a kick. Cutting corners doesn’t quell any flavor in this recipe.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Total time: 18 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup ghee, coconut oil or neutral oil
• 2 teaspoons black mustard seeds
• 1 yellow or red onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste or freshly grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon garlic paste or freshly grated garlic
• 3 Thai green chiles, sliced
• 2 teaspoons coarsely ground Malabar black pepper or 1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 3/4 teaspoon Kashmiri or other mild red chile powder (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 3 Roma tomatoes (optional), finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons cashew butter
• 1 pound frozen (not thawed) or fresh mixed vegetables, such as cauliflower florets, chopped carrots, peas, broccoli florets, chopped green beans and corn
• 1 (13.5-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (optional)
• Rice, roti or naan, for serving

Preparation

1. Heat ghee or oil in a large pot over high for 30 seconds. Add mustard seeds. When they start to sputter, add onion, ginger, garlic and green chiles. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.

2. Stir in black pepper, salt, red chile powder and turmeric. Add tomatoes (if using) and cashew butter and stir until the cashew butter has melted. (If using the tomatoes, continue cooking until the tomatoes start to break down, about 5 minutes.) Stir in vegetables then coconut milk. Once the liquid is boiling, reduce the heat to medium and continue simmering until the vegetables are cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Top with garam masala and cilantro, if using. Serve with rice, roti or naan.

2. Yakitori-Style Salmon With Scallions and Zucchini

By Kay Chun

Yakitori is a Japanese dish in which boneless chicken pieces seasoned with salt (shio) and a soy basting sauce (tare) are threaded onto bamboo skewers and grilled over a charcoal fire. This weeknight meal borrows the flavors of traditional yakitori and applies it to salmon and vegetables. A salty-sweet sauce of soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, garlic and ginger doubles as a glaze and serving sauce. Tossed with greens, the leftover salmon and vegetables make a nice salad the next day, and the sauce keeps in the refrigerator for up to a week. Brush it onto chicken or pork chops before roasting, or use it to season your next clean-out-the-fridge fried rice.

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup canola oil, plus more for greasing
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (from about 3 cloves)
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger (from a 1-inch piece)
• 2/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/3 cup turbinado sugar
• 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 pound small zucchini (about 3), trimmed and sliced 1/8-inch-thick
• 8 scallions, trimmed, halved lengthwise, if large, and cut into 2-inch pieces
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless salmon fillets, cut into 1-inch pieces
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Preparation

1. In a small saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-low. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. Add 2/3 cup water, plus the soy sauce, sugar and vinegar, and bring to a boil over high heat.

2. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar, 1 to 2 minutes. Mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water and whisk into sauce. Simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of sauce for basting, and transfer remaining sauce to a small bowl, for serving.

3. Heat a grill, or a lightly greased cast-iron griddle or grill pan over medium. Season zucchini and scallions with salt and pepper and toss with 2 tablespoons oil. Thread onto wooden skewers that have been soaked in water or metal ones. Season salmon with salt and pepper and toss with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Thread onto skewers.

4. Grill, basting with sauce and turning every few minutes, until salmon and vegetables are caramelized and cooked through, about 10 to 12 minutes for salmon and 12 to 15 minutes for vegetables. Serve with lemon wedges and reserved sauce for dipping.

3. Turkey Zucchini Burgers

By Ali Slagle

Consider this your dependable, blank-slate turkey burger that will always be juicy and well-seared no matter how you embellish it. Add ground spices, such as cumin or garlic powder; chopped herbs; or Worcestershire sauce or anchovies for umami — or leave the patty alone. With just a swipe of ketchup or mustard, it’ll hold its own. Grated zucchini keeps the burgers moist, mayonnaise helps bind and brown them, and salting only on the outside ensures that the meat stays tender. (For a cheeseburger, drape sliced cheese on the patties during the last 2 minutes of cooking and cover the pan.)

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• Neutral oil (such as grapeseed), for greasing
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1/2 cup coarsely grated unpeeled zucchini (from 1 small zucchini)
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
• Hamburger buns, toasted
• Toppings and condiments, as desired

Preparation

1. Lightly grease a plate with neutral oil and set aside. In a medium bowl, mix together the turkey, zucchini and mayonnaise. Form 4 patties, each about 4 1/2 inches wide (about 5 ounces). Press a small dimple in the center of each patty, then place the burgers on the plate and refrigerate to firm up for at least 5 minutes (or keep them covered for up to 2 days).

2. Heat a large (12-inch) cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add about 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet to lightly coat. Generously season the tops of the patties with salt and pepper. Add the patties, seasoned-side down, to the skillet and cook until seared and dark brown, 3 to 5 minutes. (Don’t press down; that’ll release juices.) Season the tops generously with salt and pepper, then flip and cook until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes, turning the heat down as necessary to avoid scorching.

3. Transfer to a clean plate and let rest for at least 5 minutes before building into a burger on the buns with desired toppings and condiments.

4. Cold Noodle Salad With Spicy Peanut Sauce

By Hetty Lui McKinnon

Soba, Japanese buckwheat noodles, are ideal for salads because they taste particularly great when served cold. Crunchy vegetables are highlighted here, adding lots of crisp, fresh texture. Substitute with any raw vegetables you have on hand, such as cabbage, carrot, fennel, asparagus, broccoli or cauliflower. The spicy peanut sauce is very adaptable: If you don’t want to use peanut butter, you can use any nut or seed butter, like cashew, almond, sunflower or even tahini. Both the soba and the peanut sauce can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the fridge overnight, but wait to combine them until you are ready to eat for the best texture and consistency. The peanut sauce thickens as it sits, so add a tablespoon or two of water to loosen it up, if necessary.

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

For the Salad:

• Kosher salt
• 10 ounces soba noodles
• 1 medium zucchini or cucumber (about 6 ounces)
• 5 radishes (about 4 ounces)
• 1 bell pepper (any color)
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts (about 2 ounces), roughly chopped
• 2 scallions, trimmed and finely chopped
• Handful of cilantro leaves
• 1 lime, cut into wedges for serving

For the Spicy Peanut Sauce:

• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter (not natural)
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons lime juice (from 1 lime)
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons chile oil or hot sauce, plus more to taste
• 1 garlic clove, grated

Preparation

1. Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Add the soba, stir to prevent sticking, and cook according to package instructions until just tender. Rinse under cold water until the noodles are completely cold.

2. Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a medium bowl, combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, maple syrup, lime juice, sesame oil, chile oil or hot sauce, and garlic. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and whisk until the sauce is a pourable consistency. Taste and add more chile oil or hot sauce as desired; set aside.

3. Cut the zucchini or cucumber and radishes into 1/8-inch thick slices, then cut into thin matchsticks. Slice the peppers into 1/8-inch pieces. Place them all in a large bowl.

4. Loosen the soba noodles by running them under some water, then allow to drain again. Add them to the vegetables, add the remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil and toss to combine.

5. When you are ready to serve, drizzle with spicy peanut sauce and top with peanuts, scallions and cilantro. Serve immediately, with lime wedges alongside.

5. Caramelized Zucchini and White Bean Salad

By Yossy Arefi

This flavorful and hearty salad makes use of one of summer’s most abundant vegetables, zucchini. You start with a big pile of shredded zucchini and onions, then might marvel at how much it cooks down as it browns and caramelizes. Next, you’ll toss that potent blend with creamy white beans and herbs to make an easy, flavorful side or main. The mint adds brightness, and it pairs well with other soft herbs, like parsley, dill and basil. The caramelized zucchini mixture makes a great base for bean salad, but it is so versatile it can be used in many other ways: Make a big batch and toss it with pasta, serve it on top of ricotta-slathered toast, or top a flatbread with it; you really can’t go wrong.

Yield: 6 servings

Total time: 45 minutes, plus cooling and chilling (optional)

Ingredients

• 2 large zucchini, shredded on the large holes of a box grater
• 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, like cannellini, rinsed
• 1 lemon, plus more if needed
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped mint
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped parsley, dill or basil