"zucchini" news and stories

Zucchini is a shape-shifter if you give it half a chance. Or, I should say, if you give it a go on a mandoline. Sliced lengthwise, about one-eighth-inch thick (which you can also do it with a sharp knife, but it's easier with a mandoline), zucchini ribbons can stand in for regular pasta. (Steam them for a couple of minutes until they're crisp-tender.) Whether you need a gluten-free base or if you're just in the mood to experiment and amp up the vegetables, whisper-thin zucchini slices are the answer.

And basil, with its heady fragrance and luscious taste, doesn't always have to be the go-to herb for pesto. Parsley may not be the showiest herb at the market, but, when combined with almonds, as in this recipe, it makes a subtly seductive pesto.

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This short, squat version of the zucchini gives the long, slender varieties a run for their money. In making self-contained little bowls, they're easy to serve, especially when they're stuffed with sausage, basil and tender zucchini flesh, as blogger Stef Noble has done in her simple recipe. A French round variety called Rond de Nice is palest green and Eight Ball (which I suspect this one is) is deep green with lighter flecks. Whether it also doubles as a forecaster for your future is anyone's guess.

In August you may not think so, because it's everywhere all the time, but zucchini fits in at almost any party. It's so mild that it blends easily when you want to add texture, color and fresh flavor to a dish, such as this recipe for frittata with feta and grape tomatoes.

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One of the easiest ways to prepare fish is also one of the most delicious. Here's how.

For gardeners like me, the sight of zucchini blossoms on the vine is like having the official flag of summer unfurled. It's still March, but this photo of Stef Noble's pasta with zucchini blossoms stuffed with mozzarella and escarole, is making me yearn for squash season.

Zucchini blossoms are delicious on their own, dipped in a batter of flour, club soda and salt, then deep-fried for a minute or two, until golden brown (a Gourmet recipe). And, like Stef, I love to stuff them -- with goat cheese or with a combo of prosciutto, chopped zucchini, garlic and chives.

When you have a chance to pick the blossoms from a garden, choose male blossoms (with the long, straight stamens), which serve only to pollinate the female blossoms (which bear the actual vegetables). That way you'll preserve the pleasure of eating both the flowers and full-grown squash.

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Photo: Amazon.com.

'Cooking With Pumpkins and Squash'
By Brian Glover
Photography by Peter Cassidy
Ryland Peteres & Small -- 2008
Buy it on Amazon

Despite early fall's T-shirt weather and last-summer's-hurrah barbecues, Brian Glover's "Cooking With Pumpkins and Squash" beckoned. Although it largely consists of hot autumn colors and warming recipes, this exquisite cold-weather cookbook could not sit one week in the kitchen before we cracked.

We blame Glover's seductive prose: "Some flavors stand out as having a real affinity with squashes and pumpkins of all shapes and sizes; their nutty sweetness works well with salty tastes such as goat cheese, feta and olives..." His understanding of squash's potential as an adaptable base -- to be spiked with other bold ingredients and not merely to be devoured on its own -- intrigued us.

Though many niche cookbooks devoted to a particular ingredient can be characterized as too centric toward their subject, "Cooking With Pumpkins and Squash" reveals refreshingly complex recipes with unexpected flavors. "Light bites" recipes like Grilled Zucchini, Halloumi and Fava Beans with Tomato and Mint Dressing expertly showcase and complement the light, springy flavor of summer squash, while heartier entrées like the Pumpkin Risotto with Pancetta and Sage suit the rich, silky texture of pumpkin and butternut squash.

See what we tested and find out whether the book's worth buying after the jump.