Summer is the perfect time to pack your daily diet with plenty of fresh veggies and fruits, and Kristin Brewer DeBoard with the Williamson Farmers Market, has plenty of recommendations for how best to use locally grown produce in your next dinner. Last month, she showed us a great recipe for grilled veggies, and this month, her suggestions come from a recent Better Homes and Gardens recipe that puts zucchini in the spotlight: Grilled Zucchini Parmigiana.
Got Zucchini?
This one is a little more in-depth, but it’ll be worth it in the end, when your results are like a cross between eggplant parmesan and lasagna. You’ll need about 4 pounds of large zucchini, sea salt and pepper, unsalted butter, about ⅓ a cup of chopped onion, 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, 2 cups milk, 2 tablespoons chopped basil and nutmeg, 1 cup mozzarella, and 1 cup of grated parmesan.
You’ll start by cutting the ends of your zucchini and cutting it into long, ½ inch thick lengthwise slices. Grill up your pieces, working in batches, until you have grill marks. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees, and grease a rectangular baking dish.
To make sauce, melt ¼ cup of butter and cook your onions until golden in a saucepan. Add flour, cook for 2 minutes until golden brown, and add milk. Bring mixture to a boil, and then reduce heat, stir in basil, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Layer zucchini, cheeses, and sauce in a baking dish, and top with zucchini, grill marks facing up. Bake for 30-40 minutes, and let stand for 20 minutes. Top with more fresh basil.
For Kristin, this is a great summer recipe because zucchini is often so abundant. “Zucchini grows so plentiful here, and it grows quickly,” she says. “It’s very versatile, and you can do so much with it! Grilling it is also such an easy way to prepare it.”
This is a great, lighter option for those who love lasagna but don’t love such rich food in the summer heat. Zucchini is also a low-calorie, and vitamin rich food that makes a great addition to a regular diet, especially when it’s prepared so deliciously! Stop by the Williamson Farmers Market and check with one of the local vendors for fresh zucchini so you can try this recipe this weekend!
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