Raw Zucchini Salad

With summer nearing an end, run out to your local farmer's markets and pick up some fresh zucchini or yellow squash to make this next recipe: a crisp and light zucchini salad. It pairs nicely with just about any protein, especially white fish.

The recipe is from writer and chef Michael Ruhlman's cookbook, "Ruhlman's Twenty." It ranks at the top of Gary's list for informative books that do more than just provide a list of recipes. The book instructs on twenty techniques or ingredients and includes background information and tips to modify recipes. If you want to know more why about cooking, this is a great place to start. It has become an indispensable resource in our kitchen! 

Zucchini Salad, serves 4 as a side dish (adapted from Ruhlman's Twenty)

2 zucchini (yellow or green, or both!)
kosher salt
1 TB minced shallot or red onion
1 minced garlic clove
1 TB lemon juice
1 TB olive oil
freshly ground black pepper or white pepper
 optional: slivered toasted almonds and fresh herbs

After washing the zucchini, cut it on the bias--that is, cut it at an angle and don't make just circles. The slices should be between a 1/4 inch and 1/8 inch thick.

The idea is to make the slices as long as possible. 

The next step is to stack the slices and cut the slices into thin juliennes (or matchsticks). The proper kitchen tools are important. A santoku knife or a chef's knife with the thinnest blade will make better, more consistent cuts.

Put the matchsticks of zucchini in a colander over a bowl. Sprinkle evenly with 1 tsp salt. Toss and sprinkle with another 1 tsp of salt. Let stand for 10 to 20 minutes. At the 10 minute mark, bite into one. The goal is have the zucchini be slightly limp, but still some bite or resistance. Toss the zucchini around to redistribute salt and shake off some of the moisture. You can see the salt pull moisture out of the zucchini, see?

While waiting on the zucchini, in a small bowl, combine lemon juice, onion/shallot, and garlic.  *side note* We use so much minced garlic that we buy it pre-minced in the giant jugs at the grocery store.  That way we always have minced garlic ready to go.  We still do use fresh garlic in some recipes, but by and large, this is our go-to solution.  Because we realllllly like garlic, we usually end up using 1/2 TB per 1 clove, though a better comparison is probably 1 tsp per clove. Also, prepackaged garlic is not as strong as fresh garlic. *end side note*

After achieving optimal texture (or you remember to check), shake the zucchini again to drain excess moisture. Taste the zucchini. If it seems overly salty, rinse under cold water and pat to dry. Then transfer to fresh bowl and toss with 1 TB of olive oil. Then add lemon juice mixture and toss. Add freshly ground black pepper to taste or if you want to make it look fancy--add white pepper so the salad looks very clean (this is what we do). Taste the zucchini and add more salt or lemon juice as needed. Add nuts and fresh herbs (such as parsley, basil, cilantro) if using. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Let us know what you think!