Savory Zucchini Bread & 2 Tomato "Use-Ups"

Last year when I was (as usual) trying to use up bushels of zucchini, I figured I'd try out a savory version.  L was thrilled because it has some of his favorite ingredients and he's not a fan of the typical sweet version.  This bread is chock-full of Mediterranean gems and goes great with tomatoes, another bumper crop of the summer.  I recommend it aside bowl of homemade tomato soup, topped with slow-roasted tomatoes and mozzarella, or slathered with tomato jam.

One thing I would change about this recipe is to scale it up 1 1/2 times because it results in sort of a short stubby loaf.  Next time I make it I will see how that goes and update this recipe with new amounts if it works out well.

Savory Zucchini Bread

2 eggs
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 cups grated zucchini (I do this in my food processor)
3 or 4 cloves of garlic, chopped (Substituting 10 cloves of roasted garlic would be delicious)
2 roasted red peppers, chopped
1/2 cup kalamata olives, chopped
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup parmiggiano reggiano, diced into tiny bits (This way you get little salty bites now and then)


1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Grease a 9 x 5 x 3 loaf pan.

Beat together the eggs, oil and vinegar.  Add the zucchini, garlic, peppers, olives, tomatoes and cheese and stir to coat.  Sift flour, seasonings and leavenings into the bowl and stir until all ingredients are well combined.  Pour into the loaf pan and bake for 55-65 minutes.

Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes.  Then run a knife around the edge and invert to remove from the pan. Finish cooling on a wire rack before cutting.

Slow-Roasted Tomatoes

The trick to these tomatoes is roasting them as slowly as possible.  I put them in the oven in the afternoon and take them out the next morning when I wake up.  It's one of those recipes I feel guilty posting because it's barely a recipe.

10-12 Roma tomatoes or other low-moisture tomatoes, washed and split in half
olive oil
salt, pepper and any other desired seasonings

Toss tomatoes with olive oil to coat.  Arrange on a baking sheet, cut sides up.  Season as desired.

Set your oven as low as it will go (mine bottoms out at 170 F).  Stick your tomatoes in there and write yourself a little tomato love note so you don't forget about them.  Roasting time will depend on your oven but will be at least 12 hours.  I usually leave mine in for about 18 hours.  You know they're done when they've shriveled to about half their original size but are still moist inside.  These freeze very well and make an excellent pasta sauce when roughly chopped.

Cherry Tomato Jam

I've seen lots of recipes for this floating around cyberspace and finally had to try it myself.  It is the perfect mix of sweet and savory and goes particularly well with salty breads such as the zucchini bread above or any other cheese flavored bread.  It's also great as a topping for risotto cakes. It's not necessary to skin the tomatoes but it results in a better texture.  This recipe makes about 3 pint size jars.

2.5 lbs of cherry, pear or grape tomatoes (about 3 pints)

1 1/4 cups sugar (brown or white - both work well)
5 tsp balsamic vinegar
3 3/4 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp italian seasoning
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
pinch of red pepper flakes

Bring a quart of water to a boil and prepare a large bowl of ice water.  Slash the ends of each tomato quickly with a paring knife.  Plunge the tomatoes, a pint at a time, into the boiling water for about 30 seconds (you should see the skins start to curl up at your incision), then use a slotted spoon to transfer them to the ice bath.  Repeat for other pints.  At this point the skins should slide right off.  Discard the skins and transfer the "meat" to a large saucepan.  Add sugar, vinegar, lemon juice and seasonings and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until thick and jammy.

Transfer to pint jars.  This will keep for about 3 weeks in the fridge or 6 months in the freezer (use plastic containers if you plan to freeze it).  It can also be canned in a boiling water canner.  For this method, make sure your canning jars are sterilized and place your lids in a pan of water just below a simmer to soften the adhesive.  Leave 1/2 inch of headspace before placing the lid and making the ring fingertip tight.  Boil enough water to cover the jars by at least one inch, use canning tongs to place jars in the rack and process for 15 minutes (longer at higher altitudes).  If you haven't canned before please don't rely on this explanation alone - visit the national food safety database or the Ball preserving website first and fully educate yourself on how to can safely.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

This time of year everyone has extra zucchini threatening to bust out of the produce bin!  Although most of our zucchini gets marinated in Italian dressing and grilled, we just can't eat it all.  I've already put up 10 cans of zucchini pickles (I most post this some time - they're way better then the cucumber variety), and I have a bag of zucchini fritters in the freezer, so it's time to break out the loaf pan and bake up some zucchini bread.

My usual zucchini bread is a savory version, since L is not a fan of sweet stuff.  If I can advert any major disasters and manage to photograph it decently I'll be bringing that one to you later.  Once in a while, I like to mix it up a little and see the sweeter side.  I often find sweet zucchini bread to be too dry or too dense and I often get bored with the obligatory spices that seem to be overused in all baking: cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice.  Although I like to use these as showcase flavors on their own, I feel like they get lost in a generic "baked good" taste.  So instead of going the traditional route, why not use an ingredient that is at its best in in rich dense cakes, and pack it full of chocolate!  Sounds better already doesn't it?!  Then throw in some coffee to pump up the flavor and one unexpected spice to play a star role.  Moist and intensely chocolatey - now that's a sweet zucchini bread I can get into!'

Chocolate Zucchini Bread with Coffee and Cardamom

Cardamon is an acquired taste for some, so if it's not your thing I recommend substituting a tablespoon of spicy Saigon cinnamon instead.  A dash of cayenne with the cinnamon will make it a delectable Mexican chocolate cake.

2 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 Tbsp instant espresso granules
1/2 tsp ground cardamom (optional) **Edit** This amount is appropriate if you freshly grind the cardamom - if not use 1 full tsp
1/2 tsp salt

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup really good quality cocoa powder (I like Scharffen-Berger)
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 cup shredded zucchini (summer squash also works well)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks
1/2 cup chopped macademia nuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease a loaf pan.

Beat the eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Add the oil, sugars, vanilla, espresso, cardamom and salt and mix well.  Sift in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.  Toss in zucchini, chocolate and nuts and stir to combine.

Pour into the loaf pan and bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean.

Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and invert to remove.  Let cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Sweet Corn Risotto

The produce this time of year makes me so excited.  Every time I pick up my CSA share I feel like I'm unwrapping presents at Christmas time.  What in the world could possibly be better than heirloom tomatoes, sweet corn, watermelon and peaches?

With such great produce overflowing out of my fridge, you need some really fantastic dishes to showcase it.  Most of these are so simple I don't even post them because it feels like cheating.  Is it really a recipe if it takes 5 ingredients or less and involves mostly chopping?

Risotto on the other hand is to me the definition of the craft.  There's something about chopping and sauteing aromatics, toasting rice, meditatively stirring to coax the rice into drinking up the stock and finishing with a flourish of butter and cream that personifies what it is to be a cook.  It's a very zen activity for me because the dish is not difficult, but needs consistent nurturing.  I guess that's why I've already given you so many versions, from a homey wintery sausage and radicchio, a bright primavera, and a briny seafood version.

This time around I'm showcasing one of summer's mascots - sweet corn.  Some gorgeous tomatoes also made their way in there, providing the acid to counterbalance the corn's sweetness and the richness of the butter and cream.  Inspired by a corn chowder, it starts with a little smidge of bacon.  Some scallions and basil lend a seasonally herbaceous finish.

Sweet Corn Risotto

Serves 8 as a first course, 4-6 as an entree depending on how hungry your guests are

3 cobs of local sweet corn, husked (the local part is imperative to getting the sweetest corn - the sugar converts to starch quite quickly after harvesting)
5 cups vegetable stock
1 cup milk

3 slices center cut bacon, diced
1 small sweet onion, diced (about a cup)
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups arborio or other risotto rice
2/3 cup sweet white wine such as Riesling

2/3 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/3 cup grated parmiggiano reggiano

1 large heirloom tomato, cored and diced (about 1 1/2 cups)

3 Tbsp chopped scallions

1 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil

Remove the kernels from the cob and reserve.  I love my corn zipper for this job, although now they have this nifty new version that looks like it might be a little more natural to use and remove more kernels at once, so it might be time for an upgrade - future Christmas gift anybody? ;)  Snap the corn cobs in half and add them to a medium saucepan along with the stock and milk.  Bring to a simmer then reduce the heat to low.

In a large saucepan or small stockpot over medium heat, brown the bacon.  Once it starts to get crispy add the onion and saute until translucent.  Add the garlic and the rice and toast until the rice is golden and smells nutty.  Deglaze with the sweet wine and add a couple of ladles full of the stock mixture.

Stir the risotto occasionally with a wooden spoon as it cooks over medium heat.  It is time to add a couple more ladle-fulls of stock every time you can push the risotto off the bottom of the pan and no liquid seeps in to fill the line you made.  Continue stirring occasionally and adding stock for about 20 minutes, then add the reserved corn kernels and continue as before.  When the risotto has gotten quite creamy and is almost al dente, add the cream and cook until done (should be 1-2 minutes at this point).

Finish the risotto by melting in the butter and parmesan cheese.  At this point check for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.  I don't recommend salting before this point, as the bacon and parmesan both contribute significant salt.  Toss in tomatoes and herbs and serve piping hot.

Leftovers make great arancini or risotto cakes - top them with tomato jam - assuming you don't lick the pot clean first!