How to Cook Zucchini
Discover how to cook zucchini, and you'll want to stock up on this versatile vegetable during the summer months when it's in abundance. (In fact, it's so easy to grow that you'll often find people giving it away in baskets and wagons in their front yard!)In some European countries, New Zealand and South Africa, zucchini is referred to as "courgette." The squash is an excellent source of manganese, vitamin C, beta-carotene and zinc. In addition, zucchini is rich in antioxidants; to get its full antioxidant benefits, be sure to eat the soft skin and seeds along with the flesh.
Zucchini is a mild, delicate squash that's generally cooked instead of being eaten raw like its hybrid, the cucumber (yup, you read that right!). Because of its delicate nature, zucchini does not need to be cooked for a long time; a quick saute works fine. However, cooking it at a lower temperature for a longer period (as with stews) helps concentrate the flavors. Either method is acceptable, and just depends on the desired outcome.
Transcript
-Hey everyone! I'm Judith, and today, I'm gonna be showing
you how to make Mary's Zucchini with Parmesan Cheese. So,
what we'll need is two teaspoons of extra virgin olive
oil, two pounds of zucchini sliced quarter-inch thick, an eighth
of a teaspoon of salt, freshly ground pepper to taste,
and half a cup of finely shredded parmesan cheese. All
right, in a large skillet next to us, we're gonna
get it to a medium heat
and we're gonna add in our olive oil. Let that
get nice and hot. And we have our zucchini here.
Zucchini--really versatile vegetable, healthy. You can really combine it with
anything and it tastes great. So, we're gonna cook those
up first in our hot oil. So, into the pan,
they go. Now, on a medium heat, we wanna cook
this for about 25 minutes,
but we're gonna make sure to turn them at least
every two to three minutes, just give them a good
turn, and we wanna get them nice and golden brown.
So, 25 minutes, keep turning them and we'll be back.
All right, so our zucchini are now a lovely golden
brown. I like mine nice and tender, soft. Even a
little burned is good with me. So, I'm now gonna
add on a little bit of salt and pepper
and, last but not least, our parmesan cheese. We'll just
sprinkle it on all over our zucchini. Oh, beautiful. Parmesan
cheese and zucchini--the best combination. Then, we're gonna put a
little on this and leave it there for about one
to two minutes until all that cheese melts into the
zucchini. So, our parmesan now is melted into our zucchini.
It's been there for about two to three minutes and
that is just looking and smelling fantastic, ready to serve
up,
beautiful. Now, that can be a great side dish or
main dish even, great for parties, great for Christmas, anything,
good side dish. All right, so plate that up. Beautiful.
Just love the smell of melted parmesan on one of
my favorite vegetables, I have to say. And there you
have it. That is how you make Mary's Zucchini with
Parmesan.
What You'll Need
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 pounds zucchini, (about 4 medium), sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese, (1 ounce)
Step By Step
1
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini and cook, stirring every 2 to 3 minutes, until tender and most of the slices are golden brown, about 25 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, sprinkle with salt and pepper; stir to combine. Sprinkle with cheese, cover and cook until the cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes more. Serve warm.
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