Zucchini With Caramelized Onions Recipes

ZUCCHINI AND CARAMELIZED ONIONS

Steps:

• Heat oil over medium high heat.
• Add onions, cook stirring for 5 minutes.
• Add sugar, cook about 7 minutes until carmelized.
• Add water if necessary to prevent sticking.
• Add zucchini, cook about 5 minutes until tender.
• Add tomato and pepper flakes.
• Cook until heated through and tomato begins to release juices, about 5 minutes Add salt and pepper.

SAUTEED ZUCCHINI BATONS WITH PROSCIUTTO DRIZZLED WITH CARAMELIZED ONION SAUCE AND MANGO SAUCE

Steps:

• Trim the ends from the zucchini and cut into quarters lengthwise. Season with salt and pepper. Wrap each piece tightly in prosciutto.
• Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat until hot. Add the zucchini and saute until the prosciutto is crispy but the zucchini is still nearly raw, about 5 minutes.
• Drizzle drops of Mango Sauce and Caramelized Onion Sauce alternately on the zucchini batons. Serve about 4 batons per person. Serve immediately.
• Heat a dry saute pan on the stove over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, tilt the pan and add the extra-virgin olive oil. Add the onions, gray salt, and a twist of pepper. Lower the heat to medium and saute, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the onions are caramelized.
• Add 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme, if using, at end of cooking. Remove from the heat and transfer to a blender** (see Chef's Tip). Cover the blender tightly. Place a towel over the top of the blender and hold down. Pureeing hot liquids can be dangerous as they can burst from the blender and scald you. Puree the onions until smooth, adding a little water if the sauce is too thick.
• Whatever the finished volume is of onions, add 25 percent Champagne vinegar and puree until smooth. Caramelized Onion sauce can be stored in refrigerator up to a month.
• *Chef's Tip: you can replace vinegar with lemon juice.
• **When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.
• *Chef's Tip: this is a ratio, not a recipe. Whatever finished volume is, vinegar is 25 percent (Example: 2 cups mangoes takes 1/2 cup of vinegar)
• In a blender, puree the mangoes, sugar syrup, and salt. Add vinegar and taste for balance. Add more vinegar and thin with water, if necessary. Strain through a fine strainer into a bowl. Mango vinegar can be stored in refrigerator up to a month.
• Chef's tip: you can use any kind of fruit and vinegar - you can replace vinegar with lemon juice. Herb vinegars don't work in this method.
• To a saucepan add the sugar and water (equal parts). Add a pinch of salt and the vanilla beans and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Discard the vanilla bean or save for another use.
• Yield: 2 cups

PASTA WITH ZUCCHINI, ZUCCHINI BLOSSOMS, AND CARAMELIZED ONIONS

Steps:

• Gently rinse and dry zucchini blossoms. Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, sprinkle with salt, and sauté until deep golden, about 20 minutes; set aside.
• Cook penne in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini blossoms and sauté until wilted, turning, about 1 minute. Transfer to paper towels and gently blot. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini cubes; sprinkle with salt and sauté until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, caramelized onion, and crushed red pepper to zucchini mixture; sauté 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add vegetable mixture and 1/4 cup reserved pasta cooking liquid to pasta and toss to coat, adding more liquid if dry. Stir in cheese. Transfer pasta to large serving bowl; top with blossoms and sprinkle with parsley.

ZUCCHINI AND CARAMELIZED-ONION PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with a rack in lower third. Heat 2 tablespoonsoil in a skillet over medium-high. Add onions and garlic;cook, stirring frequently, until onions are soft and golden, about10 minutes. Meanwhile, brush a 13-by-18-inch rimmed bakingsheet with 2 tablespoons oil. Place dough on center of sheet and,using your hands, stretch and fit it to edges.
• Toss zucchini with remaining 1 tablespoon oil; season with saltand pepper. Spread onion mixture evenly over dough, leaving a1/2-inch border. Top with zucchini; sprinkle with feta.
• Bake until crust is golden brown and zucchini is tender, about25 minutes. Top with olives and mint; sprinkle with red-pepperflakes. Cut into pieces and serve.

CARAMELIZED ZUCCHINI PASTA

Steps:

• In a large (at least 12-inch) cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter and oil. When it's foaming, add the zucchini, garlic, the basil stems and half the basil leaves. Season with 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cover and cook until pooling with liquid, 5 to 7 minutes. Uncover and cook until the liquid evaporates and the zucchini starts to sizzle, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Continue to cook until the zucchini is very soft, dark green, and reduced to about 1 cup, another 20 to 25 minutes. When you see a build up of browned bits on the skillet, add a couple tablespoons of water and stir, scraping up the browned bits. Repeat anytime more browning occurs. If you see burning, deglaze with water and lower the heat. (Caramelized zucchini can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to a week; it also freezes well.)
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When the zucchini is about done, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Reserve 2 cups of pasta water, then drain the pasta. If the zucchini is ready before the pasta, keep cooking it; the zucchini will only get better the longer it cooks.
• When the pasta's drained, remove the herb stems from the zucchini. Reduce the heat on the zucchini to medium, then add the pasta, 1 cup pasta water, and the Parmesan. Stir until the pasta is glossed with sauce. Add more pasta water as needed to thin the sauce. Stir in the lemon juice and remaining basil, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with more basil, Parmesan and black pepper.