Georgia Magazine - June 2024 - 36

GEORGIA Cooks
When I cook for friends or family, I like recipes that appeal
to everyone's dietary needs and likes without cooking too many
different items. Zucchini quesadillas from Smitten Kitchen fit
the bill.
Most people enjoy Southwestern flavors. These are
vegetarian and gluten-free, using corn tortillas. Dress them up
with sour cream, salsa and guacamole.
They're great as leftovers reheated and topped with a fried
egg for breakfast. That is, if you have leftovers!
ZUCCHINI QUESADILLAS
Courtesy of Smitten Kitchen, smittenkitchen.com
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for frying quesadillas
2 or 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1-1/2 pounds zucchini or other slim summer squash, halved,
thinly sliced
1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon mild (aleppo) or hotter red pepper flakes
(I use crushed red pepper flakes)
1 lime, halved
6 ounces freshly grated Monterey Jack cheese
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
Garnishes: additional sliced limes, sliced avocado, chopped fresh
cilantro and thinly sliced jalapeños
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over
medium heat. Once oil is hot, add
garlic and cook, stirring, until just
golden at the edges, about 1 minute.
Add zucchini, 1 teaspoon kosher
salt and red pepper flakes and increase
heat to medium-high. Cook, turning
over occasionally, until zucchini
becomes soft and starts to break down,
about 5 minutes.
Reduce heat slightly and cook
7-10 minutes more, at which point the
zucchini will have a jam-like consistency
and be very tender. Taste for
seasoning and add more salt, if
needed. Add the juice of 1/2 lime and
scrape mixture into a wide bowl. Let cool slightly.
Add cheese to zucchini mixture and mix.
Lay out 6 tortillas and divide the filling among them, going
all the way to the edges. Place the remaining 6 tortillas on top.
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and add a couple
teaspoons of olive oil. Transfer your assembled quesadilla(s) to
the skillet and cook until deeply golden and crisp underneath,
letting whatever cheese seeps out cook and crisp in the pan.
Flip quesadilla(s) and repeat on second side. Try to get all the
lacy brown cheese when you remove them from the pan. Repeat
until all quesadillas have been cooked.
Squeeze the juice of the remaining 1/2 lime over them.
Serve quesadillas halved or in wedges with additional lime
wedges, avocado, cilantro and jalapeño. Serves 4-6.
36 Georgia Magazine June 2024
Pasta appeals to many people, and this zucchini pasta
comes together quickly. Grate the zucchini while the pasta
cooks and then toss all together. It can be served warm,
room temperature or chilled. Enjoy it as is, or add leftover
chicken, cooked shrimp, mozzarella balls or even grape
tomatoes.
SPAGHETTI AND ZUCCHINI NOODLES
Courtesy of Carlin Breinig
12 ounces spaghetti
3 medium zucchini, shredded in a food processor or with
a box grater
3/4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
1/2 cup basil leaves, torn
Salt and pepper, to taste
Red pepper flakes, optional
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
In a large stockpot, bring water to boil, salt the water
and cook the pasta. Drain.
In a large bowl mix the zucchini with the olive oil,
garlic and basil. Add the hot pasta to the zucchini and toss
to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste, plus red pepper
flakes, if desired. Garnish with Parmesan. Serves 6-8.
Love garlic bread but looking for something a little lighter?
Broiled zucchini boats fit the bill.
BROILED ZUCCHINI BOATS
Courtesy of " Vegetable Heaven " by Mollie Katzen
(Hyperion, 1997)
1 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
4 small zucchini, halved lengthwise
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Preheat the broiler. Melt the butter in a large, ovenproof
skillet (not nonstick). Add the garlic and saute over mediumlow
heat for about 30 seconds. Be careful that the garlic does not
brown.
Place the zucchini halves face down in the garlic butter and
sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Saute over medium-high
heat for about 5 minutes until just slightly tender when poked
gently with a fork.
Turn zucchini over and sprinkle generously with Parmesan.
Cook for 1 or 2 minutes longer, and transfer to the broiler.
Broil for about 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted and
golden brown. Serve hot and scrape up spilled Parmesan while
it's warm, to serve. Serves 4.
I hope these recipes give you some new ideas about how to
enjoy zucchini. And if you haven't traditionally been a zucchini
fan, I hope they bring you closer to loving it.
Carlin Breinig is a retired personal chef and cooking
instructor from Johns Creek.
JUST BARTEE PHOTOGRAPHY
http://www.smittenkitchen.com
Georgia Magazine - June 2024

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