Friday, April 24, 2009

Loving Tyler this week: A new recipe to share

Like most families, we took a trip to the library recently. Our resident 3 year old foodie picked out a cookbook by Tyler Florence (yes, most preschoolers pick out picture books; mine just chooses the ones with food). Inside we found a fabulous - and easy - recipe to make with zucchini. In fact, it's better the second day.

It's for Zucchini Carpaccio - essentially thinly sliced raw zucchini, dressed with lemon juice, olive oil, the white part of a leek, sliced, and herbs. We sprung for fresh mint leaves, which the recipe called for, and made use of the garlic chives we found at the Bloomington market. The trick, the book said, was to thinly slice the zucchini. While it suggests a mandoline, don't fret if you don't have one; just do the best with whatever knife you have on hand.

I have to say, it was wonderful! It was even better the second - and third day, so if you have time to let the zucchini absorb the flavors, go for it.

The book recipe suggested ricotta cheese on top, which we tried but decided it wasn't for us. You can find a "tamer" version with Parmesan cheese at the Food Network site. Worth trying once zucchinis are in season!

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