Here’s a tasty solution to the annual question of what to do with all of those zucchini. Fresh, easy, fast, healthy, cheap, and yum. That’s a lot of ticked boxes.
If I had to say what the main influence on my code-switching cuisine is, vaguely stated it would be Middle Eastern food. There was a large community of Middle Easterners from various countries in my hometown of Toledo, Ohio, because the University of Toledo had a renowned engineering department. As a result, in my young adult years, I took for granted the numerous food shops, restaurants, and eateries featuring Syrian and Lebanese specialties. It was only when I went away to study in Amherst, Massachusetts, that I realized how lucky I had been. I vividly remember my sense of disorientation when I realized that there was not a single shop or restaurant to satisfy this basic need. Even now, on the rare occasion that I go back to Toledo, I make the pilgrimage to the Beirut Restaurant. Their menu has barely changed in forty years and the consistently reliable level of excellence allows me to experience the taste of home despite the passing years.
Ingredients:
3-4 small zucchini
Juice of one lemon
1 tsp salt
100ml olive oil
1-2 cloves sliced garlic
¼ cup pine nuts
¼ cup chopped raisins
½ tsp Middle Eastern spice mix (see below) or ¼ tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest or 1 tsp finely chopped preserved lemon
Instructions
Slice the zucchini thinly lengthwise using a mandolin, meat slicer, or a knife if your knife skills are good.
Juice the lemon, combine it with the salt and pour the mixture over the zucchini slices in a non-reactive tray or platter.
Leave ½ hour and pour the resulting liquid off.
Heat olive oil in a small skillet and add the garlic.
When it is just starting to brown add the pinenuts and raisins. Cook until the pine nuts just start to turn color.
Off heat, stir in the Middle Eastern spice mix and preserved lemon if using.
Arrange the zucchini slices as you like on a platter and artfully top them with the cooked mixture.
Grate lemon zest on top with a razor grater. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve at room temperature. No need to rush it to the table. It can sit for a while
Middle Eastern spice mix:
3 tbsp allspice berries
3 cinnamon sticks
2 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tsp black peppercorns
1/2 tsp cardamon seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
4 cloves
1 blade of mace
1/4 tsp crushed nutmeg bits
Dry cook the spices in a skillet, toss occasionally. When the start to release an aromatic smell and have not started browning, remove from heat and transfer to a plate to cool. When they have cooled, grind them well in a spice grinder. You will find many uses for this mix once you have it, but after about six months it is best to make a fresh batch as you will not get consistent results when you add it to your recipes.