I saw the idea for this dish somewhere (no, I can’t remember where)… It caught my eye because we get a lot of summer squash and zucchini around here during summer and I do not particularly like either (except in zucchini bread). It seems a shame to not buy summer squashes since they always look so bright and fresh at the market. When I saw the idea for a squash carpaccio I knew it was something I had to try – if only in an attempt to eat more of the yummy looking squashes at the market. I am happy to report that the thin slices avoided both the mushy texture and “raw” squash taste that I do not like.
Ingredients
- 1 small zucchini
- 1 small summer squash
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/4 lemon
- freshly ground pepper
- salt
- shaved Parmesan
Directions
Slice the zucchini and summer squash into circles as thinly as possible. Arrange slices overlapping on a small plate. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Shave several bits of parmesan over the whole plate. Let marinate for at least 15 minutes before serving.
I always buy barley thinking I’ll use it… then I find it in my pantry several months later just waiting for me. Problem is I don’t like barley in its traditional guise of a starch in soup! So, I end up throwing it out and vowing never to buy barley again. I was thrilled to run into this recipe in Bittman’s “How to Cook Everything Vegetarian” where barley is used in a cold salad. Since I live in sweltering heat for 4+ months of the year I am always looking for new cold salads. And of course I just happened to have some barley in the pantry.
Ingredients
- 1 cup barley
- 2 small kirby cucumbers, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 3 scallions, sliced
- 1 handful grape tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1 cup yogurt
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Place barley in a saucepan and cover with 2″ of water. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes, until tender. Drain and cool on a plate or under cool water.
Combine barley, cucumbers, scallions and tomatoes in a large bowl. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Mix together yogurt, olive oil and lemon juice in a small bowl. Add yogurt mixture to barley mixture and mix thoroughly. Taste and add more salt and/or pepper, as needed.