I am sorry that I do not have a photo for this recipe. It got gobbled up before I had a chance to take a photo (always a good sign), but with zucchinis in abundance right now, I had to share this deliciously moist loaf cake. Cake or Bread? It is somewhere in between the two, but regardless, it is a perfect choice for a late summer rustic dessert, afternoon snack or breakfast treat. I am guessing these would also bake up as wonderful little cupcakes... perhaps with a dollop of cream cheese frosting?
Zucchini Bread with Craisins and Dark Chocolate Chips
Tart craisins, sweet zucchini bread and dark chocolate – a perfect combination. The whole wheat pastry flour and spelt flour can be substituted for whole wheat flour and all purpose flour, if you like.
Makes 1 loaf
1 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup spelt flour
1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 ounces grated zucchini
2/3 cup craisins
2/3 cup dark chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 5 loaf pan with canola oil and line the bottom with parchment paper.
In a medium size bowl, combine the flours, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.
In another bowl combine the eggs and sugars with a whisk until well combined. Stir in the oil, vanilla extract and grated zucchini until well combined. Gently stir in the dry ingredients and the craisins and chocolate chips.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for approximately 60 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes; then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. This bread will keep wrapped tightly in plastic wrap for up to 3 days.
Showing posts with label zucchini. Show all posts
Showing posts with label zucchini. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Marinated Zucchini Salad
This dish is great to make when you are entertaining because you can make it ahead of time and pull it out of the fridge just before serving.
Marinated Zucchini Salad
Serves 12
Ingredients
- 8 medium zucchini
- 1 small red onion
- 10 cloves garlic, peeled, thinly sliced
- 1 yellow or red bell pepper
- 2 small firm tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- salt
- fresh ground pepper
Dressing
- 1/2 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
To make the dressing combine the lemon juice, thyme, salt, pepper and red wine vinegar. While whisking, slowly add the olive oil to create an emulsion. You can make this dressing up to three days ahead of time.
Cut the zucchini in half, lengthwise, then cut into thin slices, about 1/8 inch thick. Peel the red onion and cut in half. Slice the onion as thin as possible. Remove the core and seeds from the bell pepper and cut into very thin strips about 1/8 inch thick. Cut the tomatoes in half, core and thinly slice into 1/8 inch thick pieces. Place the chopped vegetables in a large bowl, along with the garlic. Add the parsley and season with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over vegetables and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate, to let marinade.
Make this dish at least three hours and up to eight hours before serving. Periodically take the salad out of the refrigerator and toss. Take the salad out of the refrigerator approximately 15 minutes before serving.
Marinated Zucchini Salad
Serves 12
Ingredients
- 8 medium zucchini
- 1 small red onion
- 10 cloves garlic, peeled, thinly sliced
- 1 yellow or red bell pepper
- 2 small firm tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- salt
- fresh ground pepper
Dressing
- 1/2 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
To make the dressing combine the lemon juice, thyme, salt, pepper and red wine vinegar. While whisking, slowly add the olive oil to create an emulsion. You can make this dressing up to three days ahead of time.
Cut the zucchini in half, lengthwise, then cut into thin slices, about 1/8 inch thick. Peel the red onion and cut in half. Slice the onion as thin as possible. Remove the core and seeds from the bell pepper and cut into very thin strips about 1/8 inch thick. Cut the tomatoes in half, core and thinly slice into 1/8 inch thick pieces. Place the chopped vegetables in a large bowl, along with the garlic. Add the parsley and season with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over vegetables and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate, to let marinade.
Make this dish at least three hours and up to eight hours before serving. Periodically take the salad out of the refrigerator and toss. Take the salad out of the refrigerator approximately 15 minutes before serving.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
The First Supper
A simple supper to start.
Gemelli with Caramelized Red Onions, Goat Cheese and Thyme
Tossed Green Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes
Roasted Zucchini with Parmesan and Parsley
Salted Caramel over Vanilla Ice Cream
Gemelli with Caramelized Red Onion, Goat Cheese and Thyme
The key to an amazing pasta dish is amazing ingredients. For this dish I used fresh thyme picked from the garden, a homegrown lemon, a beautiful red onion that looked like a cross between a red onion and a shallot from a local vegetable stand, and handmade dried pasta from an Italian specialty shop. Finally, fresh and local extra virgin olive oil finishes off this simple pasta dish.
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 1 pound gemelli or other short dried pasta
(such as fussili or penne rigate)
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 medium shallots, chopped
- 5 ounces plain soft goat cheese
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh thyme
(about 5 -6 stems, leaves removed and finely chopped)
- zest of 1 large lemon
- fresh ground pepper
- sea salt
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the chopped red onion and shallots. Season with salt and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the onion and shallots are soft. Continue to cook until the onions begin to brown and caramelize; about 10 minutes. Season with fresh ground pepper and add the chopped thyme.
When the water has come to a rapid boil, add the pasta and cook, according to the package, until al dente, tender. To test the pasta, remove one noodle and bite the center of the noodle; it should be tender but not chalky. When the pasta is al dente, immediately add the pasta to the sauté pan with the caramelized onions while reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl and crumble the goat cheese over the hot pasta. Add the lemon zest and 1/4 cup of the starchy pasta water and toss everything together. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of reserved pasta water if needed. Taste for more salt and pepper, drizzle with a bit of olive oil and serve immediately.
Roasted Zucchini with Parmesan and Parsley – Italian Style
The Italians may like their pasta with a bite, but prefer their vegetables thoroughly cooked. The zucchini in this dish are prepared as the Italians would… well done.
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 6 medium size zucchini
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
- fresh ground pepper
- sea salt
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cut each zucchini in half lengthwise, the cut into 1/2 inch pieces to create a half circle shape. In a large roasting pan toss the zucchini together with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Roast the zucchini about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the zucchini to a serving bowl. Add the chopped parsley, parmesan cheese and season with more salt and pepper. Gently toss all of the ingredients together and serve immediately.
Salted Caramel over Vanilla Ice Cream
I had left over Salted Caramel Sauce (recipe follows) from my Caramel Apple Galettes, made earlier in the week, that was delicious when slightly heated and poured over vanilla ice cream, with a sprinkling of French sea salt.
Salted Caramel
Makes approximately 2 cups
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more for garnish
To make the caramel sauce combine the water and sugar in a medium heavy-bottom saucepan over low heat, without stirring until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat to medium and bring to a boil without a lid. The sauce should continue to boil until is turns a golden chestnut brown, then turn off the heat. Do not stir the mixture with a spoon and be extremely careful not to get burned. Slowly, without splattering, pour the cream into the hot mixture. The mixture will violently bubble. Stir in the vanilla extract and turn a low heat back on. Stir until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Finally, remove the pan from the heat and add the sea salt. Let the sauce cool at room temperature for 1 hour. Store the sauce in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Gemelli with Caramelized Red Onions, Goat Cheese and Thyme
Tossed Green Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes
Roasted Zucchini with Parmesan and Parsley
Salted Caramel over Vanilla Ice Cream
Gemelli with Caramelized Red Onion, Goat Cheese and Thyme
The key to an amazing pasta dish is amazing ingredients. For this dish I used fresh thyme picked from the garden, a homegrown lemon, a beautiful red onion that looked like a cross between a red onion and a shallot from a local vegetable stand, and handmade dried pasta from an Italian specialty shop. Finally, fresh and local extra virgin olive oil finishes off this simple pasta dish.
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 1 pound gemelli or other short dried pasta
(such as fussili or penne rigate)
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 medium shallots, chopped
- 5 ounces plain soft goat cheese
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh thyme
(about 5 -6 stems, leaves removed and finely chopped)
- zest of 1 large lemon
- fresh ground pepper
- sea salt
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the chopped red onion and shallots. Season with salt and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the onion and shallots are soft. Continue to cook until the onions begin to brown and caramelize; about 10 minutes. Season with fresh ground pepper and add the chopped thyme.
When the water has come to a rapid boil, add the pasta and cook, according to the package, until al dente, tender. To test the pasta, remove one noodle and bite the center of the noodle; it should be tender but not chalky. When the pasta is al dente, immediately add the pasta to the sauté pan with the caramelized onions while reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl and crumble the goat cheese over the hot pasta. Add the lemon zest and 1/4 cup of the starchy pasta water and toss everything together. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of reserved pasta water if needed. Taste for more salt and pepper, drizzle with a bit of olive oil and serve immediately.
Roasted Zucchini with Parmesan and Parsley – Italian Style
The Italians may like their pasta with a bite, but prefer their vegetables thoroughly cooked. The zucchini in this dish are prepared as the Italians would… well done.
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 6 medium size zucchini
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
- fresh ground pepper
- sea salt
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cut each zucchini in half lengthwise, the cut into 1/2 inch pieces to create a half circle shape. In a large roasting pan toss the zucchini together with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Roast the zucchini about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the zucchini to a serving bowl. Add the chopped parsley, parmesan cheese and season with more salt and pepper. Gently toss all of the ingredients together and serve immediately.
Salted Caramel over Vanilla Ice Cream
I had left over Salted Caramel Sauce (recipe follows) from my Caramel Apple Galettes, made earlier in the week, that was delicious when slightly heated and poured over vanilla ice cream, with a sprinkling of French sea salt.
Salted Caramel
Makes approximately 2 cups
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more for garnish
To make the caramel sauce combine the water and sugar in a medium heavy-bottom saucepan over low heat, without stirring until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat to medium and bring to a boil without a lid. The sauce should continue to boil until is turns a golden chestnut brown, then turn off the heat. Do not stir the mixture with a spoon and be extremely careful not to get burned. Slowly, without splattering, pour the cream into the hot mixture. The mixture will violently bubble. Stir in the vanilla extract and turn a low heat back on. Stir until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Finally, remove the pan from the heat and add the sea salt. Let the sauce cool at room temperature for 1 hour. Store the sauce in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
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