Zucchini Bruschetta and Zucchini Rings Stuffed with Garlic Sautéed Shrimp with Saffron Zucchini Puree paired with 2009 Sebastiani Sonoma County Chardonnay

September is the time when your garden, and the gardens of everyone you know, is overflowing with zucchini.  It’s the season when bags of zucchini show up on your door step and litter the counter of your break room at work as everyone goes into zucchini overload and is desperately trying to find someone to take their excess crop.  Chef Sue’s urban garden did not include zucchini, but we have not been at a loss for these beautiful green garden missiles.  With this in mind, I thought to put together a couple recipes you might try to help with your zucchini inundation.  My intent was to stray outside the lines of the normal zucchini fate and create something new and interesting.  My good friends Richter and Meredith joined me last night to sample these creations.  When the night ended with not a morsel left, we concluded the experiment was a success.

As has been my recent trend in recipe creation and pairing, my intent with these dishes was to not stray far afield of the principle flavor of the main ingredient.  In this case, I wanted the essence of the zucchini to remain at center stage.  The zucchini bruschetta and the puree were true to my intent.  However, the zucchini ring filled with an egg and topped with garlic sautéed shrimp was not as clear an interpretation.  Don’t get me wrong, it was rich and delicious, but the zucchini offered little more than a pleasant textural contrast while the egg yolk (perfectly cooked to form another layer of sauce), and the garlic shrimp overpowered the mild flavor of zucchini.

The bold flavors of the garlic shrimp were also a challenge for the wine pairing.  I had intended this pairing to feature a wine recommended by Golf Buddy Steve – a 2009 Silvergum Australia Chardonnay.  This wine has a pleasant floral nose and features flavors of citrus, peach, mellon and subtle hints of butterscotch supported by healthy acidity.  Unfortunately, for a Chardonnay the 2009 Silvergum Australia Chardonnay is light bodied and did not match the heft of the garlic shrimp.  This is not to say a light bodied wine would not work – something like a Sauvignon Blanc with bright citrus flavors and strong acidity would have gone toe to toe with the shrimp.

Fortunately, I was prepared for this and had a bottle of my standby favorite within arms reach.  The body of the 2009 Sebastiani Sonoma County Chardonnay was up to the task with welcome structure and minerality coupled with flavors of ripe pear, apple, vanilla and a wonderful buttery feel.  At $11 this wine is an exceptional value and is a staple on my wine rack.

Recipes

Zucchini Bruschetta

Ingredients

• 4 slices French bread
• olive oil
• 3 cups zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1/2 finely diced red onion
• 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, chopped
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Arrange the bread slices on a sheet pan and brush with olive oil
3. Bake until crisp, about 8 minutes.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
5. Add the zucchini and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently just to soften.
6. Season with the salt and pepper.
7. Remove from the heat and set aside.
8. Combine red onion, feta cheese, capers and basil in a large bowl.
9. Add the zucchini and any olive oil left in the skillet.
10. Stir well and season if needed.
11. Top each bread slice with the zucchini mixture and serve.

Garlic Shrimp and Egg Stuffed Zucchini Rings

Ingredients

• 4 large 3/4 inch thick zucchini rings with center cut out. Find a large zucchini - 4 to 6 inches in diameter.
• 1 lb shrimp
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup finely chopped basil leaves

Preparation

1. Cut zucchini into 3/4 inch rings and hollow out the middle
2. Sautee one side of the zucchini then flip
3. Add an egg to the hollowed zucchini
4. Cover and continue until egg is cooked leaving the yolk uncooked
5. In a separate skillet, melt butter, add garlic and shrimp.
6. One minute before done, add basil leaves and season to taste.

Saffron Eggplant Puree

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2  cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup finely chopped basil leaves
• 2 cups coarsely chopped zucchini
• 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
• 1 cup water
• Pinch saffron
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a medium sauté pan over medium high heat.
2. Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft.
3. Add the zucchini, vinegar, basil , water and saffron and bring to a simmer.
4. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Place in a blender and blend until smooth, season with salt and pepper to taste.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig

Grilled Flank Steak Marinated in Balsamic Vinegar with Fresh Garden Vegetables on Garlic and Truffle Focaccia Paired with 2007 Hall Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Notwithstanding golf obsession, summer is all about grilling and locally grown fresh produce.  If you are looking to add some variety to your summer grilling adventures, you have come to the right place.  This creation of Chef Sue’s is sure to be a winner with the anxious onlookers standing around your grill.  Chef Sue’s tasty combination of focaccia, fresh vegetables and marinated flank stake have a wonderful depth of flavor and freshness that will gain the envy of your grilling mates.

While this recipe is quite easy, the depth of flavor from each of component stands out brilliantly.  First, we have to start with the marinated flank steak.  The balsamic vinegar adds some nice acidity and the first of many flavor layers (note; balsamic vinegar can be treacherous territory with respect to wine pairing – fortunately no problems here) .  Next, the fresh vegetables (grape tomatoes from Chef Sue’s garden, and onions and zucchini from the local farm stand) add wonderful summer freshness.  The combination of gorgonzola and mozzarella cheese add, eh, cheesy goodness.  Finally, the addition of truffle oil ties all the flavors together with a wonderful earthy bass note.  All these wonderful flavors are supported by a beautifully puffy and equally tasty garlic truffle focaccia.

With respect to the wine pairing, this dish offers a number of possibilities.  Certainly a Chardonnay would blend well with the truffle, garlic, and vegetable combination.  We decided to focus the pairing on the flank steak and went with the 2007 Hall Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  We were delighted.  The inviting deep ruby color and rich aromatics of cassis, roasted espresso bean and dark ripe plum follow through with flavors of blackberry, and hints of minerality that linger.  While not an ideal flavor construction for the “fresh vegetable” aspect of the food, it danced beautifully with the flank steak and produced an overall effect that accentuated the flavors of both the food and wine.  We will likely give this paring a another go with a Chardonnay or a light bodied Pinot Noir– just because we can.  And other than the flank steak marinade and the focaccia starter, this meal takes very little forethought.

Recipes

Balsamic Marinated Grilled Flank Steak

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds flank steak
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cloves fresh minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed

Preparation

1. Marinate flank steak with all ingredients for at least 4 hours.
2. Grill steak to medium rare - about 6 minutes per side. This may very depending on the temperature of your grill.

Focaccia Starter

Ingredients

• 1 package dry yeast
• 1 cup of warm water
• 3 tablespoons flour

Preparation

1. Combine ingredients and let set for at least 4 hours. If you have more time, that is better. You can let the starter set for up to two days.

Focaccia

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• Focaccia starter
• 1 package dry yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 - 1 cup of water (depending on humidity - higher humidity = less water)
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons truffle oil
• 1 sliced zucchini
• 1 sliced onion
• 12 grape tomatoes sliced in half
• 3/4 cup gorgonzola cheese
• 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese

Preparation

1. Combine flour, yeast, herbs, salt, starter and 1/2 cup of water. Mix and continue to add up to an additional 1/2 cup of water or until the dough becomes sticky - whichever comes first.
2. Let rest for one hour.
3. Dust preparation surface with flour and kneed dough for 5 minutes.
4. Cover with towel and let rest for one to three hours.
5. Preheat oven to 500 degrees (with pizza stone in the oven)
6. Stretch dough and place on a pizza stone and brush with truffle oil
7. Add zucchini, grape tomatoes, onion, and cheeses.
8. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes.
9. Cut the focaccia to desired serving sizes then top with thinly sliced flank steak, fresh off the grill, being sure to cut across the grain.
10. Just for fun, drizzle a bit more truffle oil over the top of your creation, the aromas will draw everyone to the table.

With the 2 1/2 pound flank steak Chef Sue grilled, we were left with ample leftovers.  I have a great recommendation for this tasty hunk-o-meat.  See my post on “Open Faced Steak Sandwich Topped with Sautéed Celery Root and Leeks Paired with 2006 Benziger Family Winery Sonoma County Merlot.”

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig