Zucchini Carpaccio Salad
After slicing a few zucchini into translucent coins, you salt and rest them for a while before draining and rinsing them. What this leaves you with is zucchini like I’ve never seen it before–fabric-like pieces that bend and fold, but retain enough structure that they’re nothing like the overcooked summer squash we’ve all had the displeasure of experiencing. Once you pat it dry (we were out of paper towels, thus I missed this step, and did regret it as the dressing slid too easily off), you toss it with a heaping pile of baby arugula, shredded parmesan, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. We ate it alongside crispy artichokes (siiiigh), but I can imagine it would pair equally well with some cured meats, baguette slices and a tomato/bean salad, or whatever your vision of a heat wave menu should be, so long as keeps you on this side of being mocked for a premature summer meltdown.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 pound zucchini (about 3 large) or a mix of thin summer squash
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 pound arugula, stems discarded and leaves cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips (6 cups), or baby arugula
- 1 ounce parmesan, coarsely grated (on large holes of a box grater; about 1/2 cup) or shaved with a vegetable peeler
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Juice of one lemon
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper