Is your garden bursting with zucchini? If not, Knoxville produce markets certainly are! If you’ve already stir-fried, casseroled and zucchini bread-ed your way through a bushel, you may be looking for a new way to prepare the seasonal squash.
One use you may not have thought of for zucchini is as an appetizer. This unique riff on Italian bruschetta swaps out the oh-so-predictable tomato-only topping for one that’s greener, healthier and tastier --thanks to all that zucchini!
Low-fat cheddar keeps the fat content under control, and you can even jack the nutrition up a notch by picking up a multi-grain baguette in lieu of the traditional Italian loaf.
Make up a batch of these to serve your guests this summer while they’re waiting for the grill to heat up, or pass them around as a light appetizer at your next book club meeting.
Zucchini Bruschetta Recipe:
Ingredients:
8 slices of Italian bread (1/2” thickness)
1 Tbs garlic, minced
¼ tsp. olive oil
Pinch of salt
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 large ripe tomato, chopped
Fresh-ground black pepper, to taste
4 oz. Cabot 50% Reduced Fat Cheddar, grated (1 cup)
Directions:
Preheat broiler. Arrange Italian bread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Broil about 1 minute until brown, then turn, broiling another minute or so until bread is golden on both sides. Set bread aside.
In a large skillet, combine garlic, olive oil and salt. Stir over medium-high heat until garlic is softened. Add zucchini and tomatoes and cook while stirring, just until tender. (Do not overcook.) Season with pepper. Transfer mixture into bowl and immediately stir in cheese until just melted. Mound mixture on each piece of toast by the tablespoon. Serve immediately. Makes 8 bruschetta pieces.
Recipe adapted from and courtesy of Cabot Dairy.
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10 More Recipes Using Garden-Fresh Local Produce:
- Yellow Squash Soup Recipe
- Balsamic-Glazed Carrots Recipe
- Roasted Red Pepper Soup Recipe
- Oven-Fried Okra Recipe
- Chris Griffy’s Eight-Vegetable Garden Stir-Fry
- Farmers Market Vegetable Soup Recipe
- Fiery Cajun Shrimp and Grits Recipe
- Cooking with Poblano Peppers
- Authentic Lebanese Baba Ganoush (Eggplant Dip) Recipe
- Slow Cooker Portabello Mushroom Soup Recipe
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