We had this zucchini dish as part of our tapas meal this past Saturday, and it was one of my favorites. Strange…I don’t tend to prefer zucchini very much over other vegetables, but this now makes the third zucchini recipe on my blog that I absolutely adore. The zucchini slices are cooked in garlic and extra virgin olive oil until they are soft and just starting to brown, then they are topped with pine nuts and a cilantro dressing. This recipe was really fun as part of our tapas meal, but it’s also definitely going into my regular veggie rotation. I think that it’d be great with any sort of Mexican inspired meal in the summer, like grilled fish topped with salsa.

Zucchini with Pine Nuts and Cilantro Dressing
Source: Adapted from The Tapas Cookbook: A Classic Collection of Spanish-Style Recipes

1 small zucchini
Extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 cup pine nuts

Dressing
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Cut off the ends of the zucchini, and slice the zucchini lengthwise into thin slices. Place the slices in a colander, sprinkle with kosher salt, and let sit for 30 minutes to an hour. The salt will draw the water from the zucchini.

2. Prepare the dressing by placing all of the dressing ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until well blended.

3. Rinse the zucchini slices with cold water, and dry them well with paper towels. Place the zucchini in a bowl and mix with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a clove of crushed garlic.

4. Heat a griddle over medium high heat and add the zucchini slices. Cook for a few minutes on each side, until they are soft and beginning to brown.

5. Place the zucchini on a plate and sprinkle with pine nuts. Drizzle the dressing over the top and serve.