Five ways to destroy zucchini 🪏

Soph. vs. Zucchini

Hello and welcome back to Five Things I Ate! This week, we reap what we sow... literally. Read past posts here, and please follow my Instagram, @fivethingsiate.

Olive oil zucchini bread by Melissa Clark

Recipe from NYT Cooking.

One of my summer quests this year is to use up every single zucchini that our three very very productive zucchini plants are yielding. So far, I am winning the Zucchini War, and you can too, with these Five Simple Tricks. First off, we have the good ol’ zucchini bread. There are probably as many zucchini bread recipes out there as there are surplus zucchini, but I stopped my search at one because this recipe is perfect. It’s tender, moist, perfectly bouncy, and as a bonus, toddler-approved (tested on friend’s babies). The spices (lemon, nutmeg, cinnamon) are perfectly balanced and the walnuts (just a half cup) manage to not be overpowering. This uses up about one large zucchini, two small, or ½ of my monster zuke I let grow too long.

Zucchini destruction factor: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Taste: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hobak jeon at home

Recipe from Korean Bapsang.

If you’ve grown tired of simple grilled or sauteed zucchini, it’s time to branch out to hobak jeon, or basically battered and pan-fried zucchini. I’m a huge fan of the Korean culinary tactic of egg-battering everything, and as a bonus it adds a little punch of protein. To make, simply slice your zucchini into coins, lightly salt, and then dip in flour, then beaten egg before pan-frying in a small amount of oil. Flip when browned and cook till tender inside. Serve with some soy sauce mixed with seasoned rice vinegar and chili oil. While this doesn’t reduce the amount of zucchini you’re eating, or hide it in another dish, battering the squash transforms it into something addictive and easy to pop in your mouth as a snack, so I give it a decent zucchini destruction factor rating.

Zucchini destruction factor: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Taste: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Zucchini latkes at home

Recipe inspired by our trip to Greece last year.

Last year on our trip to Greece we took an absolutely wonderful cooking class in Santorini. In it, we learned how to make tomato fritters, but they could also be made with zucchini. Of course, I couldn’t find the recipe so I made up these zucchini latkes instead. It’s honestly hard to go wrong with latkes, as long as you follow the key step: Make sure to grate your zucchini, salt liberally, and wring out as much water as possible. Also, I don’t ever use egg in my recipe, which I think makes it crispier. To make, grate one large or ½ of a monster zucchini and ½ a sweet onion. Sprinkle liberally with salt and squeeze the water out with a cheesecloth. Dice 2 sprigs of fresh mint (or other herbs like dill, oregano, or parsley), add to zucchini, and season with paprika, garlic powder and black pepper. Add ½ cup of flour or enough to form a thick batter. Fry on a very hot cast iron skillet with a liberal amount of olive oil, flattening it down with a metal spatula and taking your sweet time to ensure it’s crispy on both sides (flip once).

Zucchini destruction factor: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Taste: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Stuffed zucchini ( Kousa Mahshi) at home

Based on my previous recipe for stuffed peppers, which is based on Aromas of Aleppo, except I didn’t follow the recipe at all.

Ever since I started making stuffed peppers I never looked back. Stuffed veggies are now my favorite homemade meal to make, and zucchini might be my favorite. This is the ultimate Monster Zucchini destroyer recipe, because it’s actually perfect for using up your squash that got a little too big. The big squash, which has seeds inside, is easier to core. Just slice it in half (I also cut off both ends), then simply scoop out the inside flesh and seeds with a spoon until you’re left with a hollow tube. Stuff with a mixture of 1lb ground beef, 1 cup long grain rice, and your favorite fresh herbs (mint and parsley are more traditional but I simply added fresh oregano from the garden), garlic powder, salt, and pepper. I like to also add a tiny pinch of allspice. Gently place in a dutch oven pot, and add a 16oz can of crushed tomatoes seasoned with salt and pepper (if you want to be fancy, first I fry some onions and herbs in olive oil, then add the crushed tomatoes), and another can of water to rinse it out. Simmer gently over low heat, covered for 40mins to an hour, till rice is soft inside. Serve with, of course, more rice.

Zucchini destruction factor: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Taste: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

When all else fails, deer

I don’t endorse this method.

If all else fails and you are still left with more zucchini than you can manage, do not worry because if you live in the tri-state area or honestly I am pretty sure every continent outside of Antarctica, the neighborhood deer will sooner or later find your garden and get rid of a good portion of your zucchini plant.

Zucchini destruction factor: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Taste: -10

Have a good weekend,

Soph

P.S. What’s your favorite zucchini recipe?

P.P.S. If you want the stuffed zucchini recipe in more detail in a standalone post with photos, let me know. I can type it up for you.