Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 2 (155 page)

PRELIMINARIES TO COOKING

Peeling, salting, blanching

Tender-skinned squashes need no peeling; their flavor is delicate anyway, and to remove the peel makes them taste even milder. Both yellow and green tender squashes contain a large amount of vegetable water, and if you do not deal with it in some way before the serious cooking begins, you will have watery casseroles and overcooked sautés. There are two methods for eliminating the water, both equally good because neither removes essential flavor. The easiest method, when you are to sauté chunks of zucchini, for instance, or hollow it out for a stuffing, is to drop the whole squash into boiling salted water and boil about 10 minutes, just until the flesh begins to yield to pressure. This is called blanching. The second method, for cut or grated squash, is to salt it, let it stand for 20 minutes until the water oozes out of the tissues, then squeeze or pat it dry. We shall use both systems here, starting out with a number of unusual recipes for blanched, sautéed zucchini.

You will notice that only twice is any herb but parsley used in the following recipes, in order that the delicate flavor of the zucchini may be pointed up rather than masked. Preliminary sautéing of the zucchini before saucing or simmering does much to bring out its flavor, and shallots, onions, garlic, and cheese seem to be its natural complements.

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

1 zucchini 8 inches long and 1¾ inches at its widest diameter weighs 5 to 6 ounces; 3 zucchinis of this size weigh about 1 pound.

1 pound of plain, raw diced or sliced zucchini makes about 3½ cups.

1 pound of freshly grated zucchini, lightly pressed down, makes about 2 cups; when salted and squeezed it makes 1 cup and renders ⅔ cup of juice.

1 pound of zucchini will provide 2 to 3 servings as a vegetable garnish.

Recipes Using Whole Blanched Zucchini

Courgettes Blanchies

TO BLANCH WHOLE ZUCCHINI—OR OTHER SUMMER SQUASH

The object in blanching zucchini or other summer squashes is to boil them just long enough to minimize the oozing out of their vegetable water, but not long enough to cook them quite through. In other words, they are not tender; they hold their shape.

Shave the stem and the tip off each zucchini (or other summer squash), scrub thoroughly but not harshly with a vegetable brush under cold, running water to remove any clinging sand or dirt. Plunge zucchini into a large kettle or saucepan of boiling, salted water; when water returns again to the boil, boil them slowly, uncovered, for 10 to 12 minutes usually, until the flesh will just yield slightly to pressure. Test each zucchini, and remove one by one as they are done, plunging them into cold water. Drain, and the zucchini are ready for sautéing, stuffing, creaming or whatever the following recipes direct. If you are not continuing the recipe until the next day, cover and refrigerate them.

  
COURGETTES SAUTÉES, MAÎTRE D’HÔTEL

[Zucchini Sautéed in Butter with Lemon and Parsley]

One of the very easiest and most delicious ways to serve zucchini is to blanch it whole, cut it into large dice, then toss in butter and seasonings, finishing it off with lemon juice and parsley. Cooked this way, zucchini goes with anything, and it is particularly recommended when you want a simply done green vegetable to go with something rather elaborate, such as
escalopes de veau à la crème
or a chicken fricassee.

For 6 people

1)
Sautéing the zucchini

2 to 2½ lbs. blanched zucchini (6 to 7 zucchini 8 by 1¾ inches, for example)

Paper towels

About 4 Tb butter

1 to 2 Tb olive oil or cooking oil

A large (11-inch) no-stick or enameled frying pan

A cover for the pan

Salt and pepper

After the zucchini have been scrubbed, blanched, and drained as in the preceding directions, cut them in quarters or sixths lengthwise, depending on their diameter. Cut the lengths crosswise into 1-inch pieces, and pat dry with paper towels. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 1 of oil over high heat. When butter foam
has begun to subside, toss in the zucchini. Toss and turn frequently, shaking and swirling the pan by its handle, for 5 minutes or more, until zucchini is beginning to brown very lightly. By this time, it should be just tender; if not, cover pan and cook over low heat for several minutes. (If you are using a smaller pan, sauté in several batches and turn each batch out onto a dish until all is done, then return them all to the pan.) Toss with salt and pepper to taste.

(*)
AHEAD-OF-TIME NOTE
: May be done in advance to this point. Set aside. Reheat to sizzling before continuing.

2)
The maître d’hôtel seasoning

Drops of fresh lemon juice

Remaining butter from Step 1

2 to 3 Tb fresh minced parsley

A hot serving dish or the meat platter

Just before serving, toss with drops of lemon juice; correct seasoning, and add a little more lemon juice if you feel it is necessary. Then toss with another tablespoon or so of butter and the parsley. Turn out onto hot dish and serve immediately.

VARIATIONS

Courgettes Sautées à la Provençale

[Zucchini Sautéed in Olive Oil with Garlic and Parsley]

Garlic and olive oil are especially good with zucchini, and this dish goes well with steaks, chops, broiled chicken, and fish.

2 to 2½ lbs. blanched zucchini quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces

3 to 4 Tb olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

2 to 3 cloves garlic, mashed or finely minced

Optional: ¼ cup dry, fairly coarse crumbs from non-sweetened homemade-type white bread

3 to 4 Tb fresh minced parsley

Dry the zucchini pieces with paper toweling and sauté, tossing frequently, in hot olive oil until just tender and very lightly browned. The moment before serving, toss over moderately high heat with the seasonings, garlic, and optional bread crumbs, then with the parsley.