Zucchini, also known as courgette, can be turned into at least 19 different salads, from an elegant version with goat cheese and almonds to a warm dish with roast duck and pear, according to a recipe collection published by Lenta.ru. Chef Alexey Stremenkov, who works with the Avito Uslugi services platform, contributed several of the recipes and explained the thinking behind them.
Zucchini is prized in the kitchen because it can be fried, stewed, baked, or added raw to soups, side dishes and salads. It pairs well with vegetables, meat, fish, herbs, cheese, spices, fruit and a wide range of sauces.
Elegant salads with cheese and nuts
The first recipe pairs thin raw zucchini slices with crumbly goat cheese, almond flakes, rocket and mint. Stremenkov told Lenta.ru that simple zucchini can take on a new character when framed with refined ingredients such as goat cheese, almonds, rocket and mint, calling it a light but filling salad that could become the centrepiece of a festive table. The zucchini is peeled into thin ribbons, lightly seared, then tossed with the cheese, herbs and toasted almond flakes in a lemon, olive oil and honey dressing.
A second, warm version combines young zucchini with young aubergine, red pepper, cherry tomatoes and red onion, all grilled or roasted until soft and lightly charred, then dressed with olive oil, balsamic cream and fresh basil.
Marinated and tomato-dressed versions
For a pickled option, Stremenkov said marinated zucchini pairs well with fried meat and, combined with pickled onion and fresh herbs, also makes a good salad on its own. Thin ribbons of zucchini and onion steep for two hours in a hot marinade of apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, peppercorns and grain mustard, then are drained and mixed with chopped garlic and dill.
Another recipe pairs diced, fried zucchini with feta cheese in a tomato dressing made from blended peeled tomatoes, tomato paste and garlic, finished with wine vinegar, parsley and chilli pepper. It can be served warm or chilled.
Fresh, low-calorie combinations
The collection also includes several fresh, uncooked salads. One combines thinly sliced zucchini, cucumber, radish, young carrot and spring onion in a lemon, olive oil, mustard and honey dressing, described as the quickest and simplest option and low in calories.
A related version adds orange segments and mint to zucchini, cucumber, radish and carrot cut into thin strips, dressed with lime juice, olive oil and honey. Stremenkov said this fresh, juicy salad goes particularly well with shashlik, the skewered grilled meat popular in Russia, and suggested letting it rest for ten minutes and serving it chilled, straight from the fridge.
Asian-inspired salads
A zucchini and daikon radish salad is dressed with lemon juice and zest, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar and fresh chilli, then finished with toasted sesame seeds and coriander.
Another combines zucchini with kiwi, fennel, rocket and shaved parmesan, dressed with lime juice and olive oil and topped with mint leaves and chia seeds.
Warm salads with duck and pasta
For a more substantial, festive option, Stremenkov described a warm salad of zucchini, seared duck breast, iceberg lettuce, Conference pear and pine nuts, dressed with a mix of teriyaki sauce and balsamic vinegar. He recommended serving it with a glass of chilled dry white wine.
A separate warm pasta salad brings together grilled zucchini, pepper, cherry tomatoes and red onion with parmesan, pine nuts and basil, tossed through pasta cooked al dente and finished with a lemon, garlic and olive oil dressing. It is best served immediately, while the pasta and vegetables are still warm.
Pickled and Korean-style options
A piquant Korean-style salad grates zucchini and carrot into thin strips using a Korean carrot grater, then mixes them with garlic, ginger, sugar, salt, oil, vinegar and spices, and leaves the mixture to rest overnight in the fridge. The recipe makes about four servings.
A simpler fresh version pairs grated zucchini and cucumber with red onion and dill in a soy sauce, oil and lemon juice dressing, salted first to draw out excess liquid. It also yields four servings.
Warm and spicy autumn salads
A warm salad roasts a whole zucchini at 180 degrees Celsius for 20 to 25 minutes, then dices it and combines it with pepper, tomato and herbs in a dressing of sour cream and grated feta or brynza cheese, making two to three servings.
A spicier version blanches sliced young zucchini in boiling water before combining it with cherry tomatoes, spring onion, coriander, toasted sesame and paprika in a dressing of sesame oil, apple cider vinegar, garlic and chilli, then chills for half an hour before serving. It also makes two to three servings.
Crispy and summer salads
For a crunchy option, zucchini cubes are coated in cornmeal and fried until golden, then combined with tomato and cream cheese in a dressing of soy sauce, lemon juice, mustard and garlic. The recipe, which serves two to three, should be mixed only just before serving so the zucchini stays crisp.
A simple summer salad slices zucchini, cucumber and tomato into thin half-moons and dresses them with coriander, mayonnaise and soy sauce, serving two to three.
Hearty additions with egg, chicken and mushrooms
A more filling option combines fried zucchini rounds with hard-boiled egg, tomato, garlic and herbs in a sour cream dressing, serving two to three.
A chicken version marinates sliced chicken breast in soy sauce, sugar, olive oil, lemon juice and basil, then fries it alongside zucchini rounds and combines it with bell pepper and sesame seeds, making about three servings.
The final recipe pairs fried zucchini and oyster mushrooms with boiled potato and onion in a mayonnaise dressing, finished with spring onion and black pepper, and also makes about three servings.
