I look forward to the first zucchini of the season almost as much spring’s first asparagus. Taut, crunchy and with an almost grassy taste, the small, early zucchinis have a concentrated flavor without the diffuse bloat of their overgrown siblings. Of course, the vegetable gardeners among us have all summer to take their pick of the tiniest, perkiest zucchini, but those of us at the mercy of the market will have to find the smallest ones we can and cook them right away, when still at their brightest and best.
One marvelous way to showcase your little zukes is Eric Kim’s new recipe for cold noodles with zucchini. He stir-fries zucchini half-moons until they’re browned, not mushy, then tosses them with a savory blend of garlic powder, fish sauce, maple syrup and soy sauce. The secret ingredient here is ice, which quickly cools the noodles and makes the sauce brothy and cold enough to freshen a July evening.
Featured Recipe
Cold Noodles With Zucchini
Ali Slagle doesn’t specifically call for zucchini in her adaptable recipe for chicken fried rice, but I’m planning to add some anyway. She uses ground chicken because it’s easier to infuse with the aromatic scallions, ginger and garlic, and it caramelizes beautifully without toughening. A pop of chile sauce, vinegar or MSG at the end lifts the dish further, giving it an impeccable zing.
Right next to the zucchini at my local farmers’ market I’ve already spied the season’s first ears of corn, and Alexa Weibel has a way to take full nose-to-tail advantage of them, as it were. She uses both kernels and cobs to make her five-star caramelized corn and asparagus pasta, dolloped with creamy ricotta. The corncobs add a hint of sweetness to the pasta water, which Lex balances with a splash of dry Vermouth (dry white wine works well, too) and a pinch of earthy turmeric in the sauce. She says the lemon zest and juice at the end is optional; I wouldn’t skip it, as it really helps bring all the flavors together.
