A Zucchini Dish for Zucchini-Haters

We’re expecting a bumper crop of zucchini from the garden soon. There is only one problem: Sweet Lady Wife is not fond of zucchini. My challenge then is to prepare zucchini so that she likes it. This dish is one of those.

Ingredients:

4 medium zucchini
2 strips of bacon
4 ounces button mushrooms
1/2 a red onion
1-2 Garlic cloves
1 Jalapeno
1 beefsteak or 3-4 roma tomatoes
1 Avocado
Lime juice
Olive oil

Cut the ends off the zucchinis and grate them.  I use the grating disk in my food processor. Place the grated zucchini in a colander, add 1 teaspoon of salt and toss. The salt will help draw the moisture out of the zucchini. Let the zucchini drain for about 30 minutes.  After draining, grab a handful of it and squeeze out as much juice as you can.  Repeat with the remaining zucchini. 

Prepare the jalapeño pepper by cutting the top off, slicing it in half lengthwise, and removing the veins and seeds.  finely chop the jalapeño. We like our food a little less spicy so I use only half of it.

Make the guacamole. Use a knife to slice the avocado in half vertically. There is a large hard seed in the middle of the avocado so you won’t be able to slice through it.  When the blade of your knife hits the seed, simply rotate the blade around the seed.  Twist the two halves apart, pop out the seed, then scoop the flesh into a bowl.  Mix the avocado with a 50-50 mixture of lime juice and olive oil to obtain your desired consistency and flavor.  I like to go a little heavier on the lime juice.

Slice the mushrooms. Core and coarsely cop the tomatoes. Thinly slice the onion. Cut the bacon crosswise into quarter-inch wide strips. Mince the garlic cloves.

In a saute pan over medium heat, fry the bacon.  When it is brown, remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.  Add the onions, mushrooms, garlic, and jalapeño to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are tender. Add the grated zucchini. Return the bacon to the pan.  Cook, stirring occasionally until the zucchini is tender.

To serve, put some of the zucchini mixture on a plate.  Spoon a little guacamole on top, then sprinkle chopped tomatoes over that.