zucchini carpaccio
This is some of the freshest, easiest shit you can make yourself this summer. And it even looks pretty enough to present to, say, a ladyfriend or manfriend you are trying to impress. Or people who read your food blog. You can even dump it all in a bowl, where it will look ruffly and still pretty, and take it to a potluck or picnic. It takes literally a few minutes to put together if you have a mandoline (I actually have this one) to slice with, and not too much longer if you’re using a good sharp knife.
To make it: Slice zucchini (or any other long summer squash) crosswise, as thinly as possible. Arrange on a plate. Squeeze a good amount of lemon juice all over it, followed by a good amount of salt and black pepper. Top with some kind of nut and some kind of cheese (I did walnuts and feta this time, but pine nuts and shaved Parmesan work well too). Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the salad. Top with torn fresh herbs, such as basil (and/or oregano, mint, parsley, dill, thyme… almost anything).
This basic method of shaving fresh raw vegetables and tossing them with this combination of ingredients works with all kinds of things: asparagus, fennel, celery, even beets. You can also toss the vegetables with greens, cooked grains, or pasta. Do a quick search and you’ll find other variations on food blogs and recipe websites.
