Sauteed Zucchini with Herbed Dressing

 

A lovely side dish, this zucchini also makes a delicious omelet or vegetarian taco filling. Top with some avocado for extra green. For this meal, serve the zucchini warm or at room temperature. It’s great either way and the latter means you can make it a few hours ahead of time.

 

1/4 cup [60 g] plain full-fat Greek yogurt

A large handful of fresh Italian parsley leaves (a little bit of stem is fine!), roughly chopped

A large handful of minced fresh chives

1 garlic clove, minced

1 T. white wine vinegar

1/4 cup [60 ml] olive oil, plus 2 T., plus more as needed

Kosher salt

1 12 lb [680 g] zucchini (about 3 large), ends trimmed

 

In a food processor, combine the yogurt, parsley, chives, garlic, vinegar, and 1/4 cup [60 ml] of the olive oil and puree until smooth. You might need to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula once or twice to make sure everything is evenly combined. Season the dressing to taste with salt and reserve it. Cut each zucchini in half lengthwise. Then, working with one zucchini half at a time, lay it on its flat side so it’s stable and cut into half-moons 1/2 in [12 mm] thick. You can do this on the diagonal if you’d like. In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, warm the remaining 2 T. olive oil. Add as much of the zucchini to the pan as will fit in a single layer without crowding. You may need to work in batches, depending on the size of your skillet; you’re looking for sauteed zucchini, not steamed zucchini. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring now and then, until just softened and browned in spots, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the zucchini to a serving platter. If working in batches, keep the first batch warm and repeat with the remaining zucchini, adding more oil to the skillet if needed. Drizzle the zucchini with the reserved dressing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

 

Leftovers: Place leftover zucchini, dressing and all, into a food processor with a drained and rinsed can of chickpeas. Puree until smooth and season to taste with tahini, lemon juice, and salt. Serve with warm pita bread (or crispy pita chips) or crunchy vegetables for dipping. It’s also good as a neighbor to roasted chicken, grilled shrimp, or even scrambled eggs.