Had Enough Zucchini?
August 8, 2016
By now, anyone who has a garden and planted zucchini is in a bind, so to speak. When will we ever learn that one plant is PLENTY! Each year, my well-meaning gardener-husband goes overboard with hills of 6 or 7 plants, “just in case one does not take.” They all took.
Just when I think I have reigned them all in with zucchini soup, grilled zucchini, zucchini lasagne, zucchini-banana bread and muffins, zucchini relish, zucchini chips, zucchini fritters, zucchini gnocchi, zucchini stir-fry, zucchini pizza and yes, even zucchini smoothies, the end. Is not in sight. And did I mention all the zucchini flowers that I stuffed and fried?
My neighbors all seem to not be home when I trudge over with bulging bags of them. I suppose I could search the internet to see how many hundreds of new ideas I could find on what to do with them. Yes, I have pickled them, frozen them ( but not with great success) and hidden them in a moist chocolate cake but enough is enough and I am looking forward to the day when the plants say so too.
Cream of Zucchini Soup
Serves 4 to 6
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped celery
1 medium onion, chopped
½ cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoons thyme leaves
4 cups grated zucchini
2 cups chicken broth
1 ½ cups Half/Half
Salt to taste
Grinding black pepper
Basil leaves for garnish
Melt butter in soup pot; add celery, onion, thyme and parsley and cook until onion softens; add zucchini and mix well with ingredients. Add chicken broth and bring mixture to boil. Lower heat and cook covered for 10 minutes.
Use an immersion blender or regular blender to puree the soup; return to pot; stir in the Half/Half and season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat slowly until hot; serve garnished with basil leaves.
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