recipe fun: couscous, summer squash and cucumber appetizers
couscous, summer squash and cucumber appetizer
While perusing one of my favorite home cooking websites, Food52, I found a great recipe for an appetizer. Great for a party, it’s both light and healthy and quite attractive, plated. All you need to do is combine couscous with sauteed summer squash and zucchini and spoon the mixture into little cucumber cups. Sprinkle some scallions on top as a finishing touch. The original recipe by Socalsustenance is here, on Food 52.*
SERVES 6
- 1/2 cup couscous, prepared
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup summer squash, diced
- 2 large cucumbers
- 1 tablespoon fresh scallions, chopped
- Salt
- Pepper
- Prepare couscous as instructed, and chill in refrigerator.
- In a small saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.
- Saute diced squash and garlic in olive oil for 4-5 minutes, until garlic is fragrant.
- Add squash mixture to chilled prepared couscous, and season with salt and pepper.
- Return couscous mixture to refrigerator to chill for 20-25 minutes.
- Slice washed cucumbers into 3/4″ inch rounds
- Scoop out seeded center area through 2/3 of the thickness of a slice
- Heap rounded teaspoons of chilled couscous mixture atop the cucumber rounds.
- Garnish with chopped scallions, chill and serve.
*Note: I did alter the recipe to add a little heat, as I thought the mixture was a bit bland without it. A dash of crushed red pepper flakes should accomplish this, or some (very thinly) sliced chile depending on how much heat your guests can handle. I also added some fresh mint, and I think that complements the ingredients of the recipe quite well!
recipe deliciousness: zucchini, summer squash, almonds, chiles & mint!
recipe for summer squash, chile, almond and mint side dish
Last night I tried out a new recipe to complement an old one. Squash and zucchini are abundant at the farmers markets these days so I wanted to capitalize on that, and afford myself the chance to experiment in the kitchen. I went to my favorite ‘go-to’ website and found, as I always do, a fantastic way to prepare my veggies- Zucchini and Summer Squash with Chili, Mint and Toasted Almonds. Food52 never fails to deliver! Rounding out the meal I thought the brightness of this dish would shine especially well next to a savory favorite of mine, deviled salmon cakes. Last, to add some sweetness to the plate, I sautéed red onion with balsamic and sugar. The trifecta works; the colors and textures present as beautifully as they taste, and you’ll delight in the wonderful complexity of the flavors on your plate!
The recipe for the zucchini and squash dish is copied below for your convenience. Enjoy!*
deviled salmon cakes
dinner of salmon cakes with zucchini, summer squash, almonds, chile and mint
Zucchini and Summer Squash, with Almonds, Chile and Mint,
by Merrill at Food52
SERVES 4 AS A SIDE DISH
1/4 cup sliced almonds
2 medium zucchini
2 medium yellow squash
Olive oil
Salt
1/2 very small red bird chili, seeds removed and finely sliced, or pinch red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
3 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh mint
Toast the almonds in a pan over medium heat until golden, watching carefully, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Trim the zucchini and yellow squash and cut each one in half lengthwise, and then in half again, so you have four long quarters. Slice each quarter into 1-inch chunks. Put about 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a wide sauté pan with high sides and set over medium-high heat. When the pan starts to smoke, add the zucchini and squash and a large pinch of salt, and turn the heat up to high. Sauté the squash, tossing frequently, until it’s well-caramelized but still has a bite, about 3 minutes.
Lower the heat to medium and add the chili to the pan. Cook for another minute, tossing occasionally. Sprinkle the sugar and vinegar over the squash and toss to combine. Cook for another minute or so. Turn off the heat and stir in the mint. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt if necessary, and then fold in the almonds. Serve immediately.
A variation: cool the cooked squash and serve at room temperature, shaving some ricotta salata or parmesan over the top.
leftovers, salmon cake eggs 'benedict' and squash/zucchini served cold with parmesan
*Leftovers, if you have any left: The squash and zucchini taste great cold with a sprinkling of parmesan, as suggested in the recipe by Merrill. With that, I heated the salmon cake in the microwave and drizzled on top a dressing of miso/mustard and mayo, and put a poached egg on top, making a sort of benedict. This presentation tastes every bit as good as the first iteration, while still being different enough not to feel like ‘reheated leftovers’. . . yay!
MUS•e•YUM 