This week, we’re living up to the semi-french moniker we chose for this blog. While reading through the cookbook Home Cooking with Jean-Georges by world renowned chef and restauranteur Jean-Georges Vongerichten, we found this wonderfully simple vegetarian dish. We couldn’t resist adding it to our roster of simple, fresh summer recipes. The cookbook is a gorgeous collection of 100 recipes from the kitchen of Vongerichten’s New York state home, that he relies on to get food on his family table as simply and quickly as possible, leaving more time to enjoy his wife and children. That’s a food philosophy we can really get behind.
Heavily influenced by the Alsace region of northeast France–where the chef was born–this recipe features minimal prep and cooking and yields exquisite results. Whether you choose to serve these cheesy baked zucchini as a side dish or a first course (they would even make a wonderful hors d’oeuvre), you’ll be delighted at how flavorful they are.
The original recipe called for yellow summer squash, but as it happens sometimes, something else looked better at the market. In this instance, the superior choice was the zucchini, which also points out how versatile this recipe is. Given that, we can’t wait to try this technique with other fresh veggies. Perhaps some nice Japanese eggplant, Peruvian potatoes, or even Jerusalem artichokes. There is literally a world of possibilities.
The technique itself couldn’t be simpler. You cut the zucchini into roughly 1-inch slices, toss them in olive oil and kosher salt, put them on a baking sheet that has been lined with a wire baking rack, then top them with what some might consider an obscene amount of grated Parmesan cheese. We don’t think that there is such a thing. Pile it on. This is a judgement free zone.
You’ll roast the rounds at a fairly high temperature until the zucchini softens slightly and the cheese forms a golden, crispy, perfectly crunchy crust which provides a great textural contrast. It makes for a perfect little bite. Trust us, these are about as addictive as they can get. They make a great substitute for processed mozzarella sticks (Ew.), and they’re much healthier.
As ’tis the season, these also make a great addition to any cookout, and are a slightly devious way to tempt the little ones into eating more vegetables. You can fancy them up a bit by drizzling them with a nice balsamic glaze, or go a more traditional route and serve them with a tangy marinara sauce for dipping, as we’ve done here. As always, however you choose to serve them, enjoy!
Adapted from Home Cooking with Jean-Georges.
- 3 medium zucchini squash, trimmed and cut at a slight angle to 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup marinara sauce, for serving.
- Preheat the oven to 400℉. Set a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet.
- In a large bowl, toss the zucchini squash, oil and salt until the squash is evenly coated. Arrange the squash in a single layer on the rack, spacing the pieces at least ½ inch apart. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the squash (each piece should have a generous coating).
- Roast until the cheese is golden brown, about 18 to 20 minutes.
- Use a metal spatula to transfer the squash to a serving dish. Season with freshly ground black pepper and serve with marinara sauce.
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