Zucchini Bonanza, Part 2: Zucchini Three Ways!

This is a long overdue post, considering this meal was prepared, photographed, and consumed more than a month ago!  It's been a busy summer and as I've prioritized other postings in the past few weeks, this one got left behind.

Here are three delicious things to do with the zucchini abundance and their flowers:

Fried Squash Blossoms Stuffed with Smoked Farmer's Cheese

Raw Zucchini "Pappardelle" with Fresh Basil Pesto

Whole Wheat Pizzettas with Zucchini Salsa

--K, high on the abundant summer produce

Zucchini Bonanza! Zucchini and Feta Pancakes

Zucchini pancakes are a fantastic way to use up the heaps of zucchini that mysteriously appear on people's back car seats at this time of year...(any Garrison Keillor fans?)  They're a simple and adaptable base for a variety of cheeses, aromatics, herbs, etc.; they're good on salads, sandwiches, and on their own; they're good hot, warm, room temperature, or chilled; and they freeze very well.

My dear friend Promise makes a version of these delicious savory pancakes, so whenever I make them, I think of her.  I'm fairly certain that she's partial to the Moosewood cookbook version, which involves beating egg whites and then folding them into the main mixture, which adds a lightness to the batter.  I prefer this one-bowl version for its ease, even if the pancakes tend to be hearty and dense--this works since I'm usually using them as a meatless main dish rather than as a side.

Grilled Summer Vegetable Sandwich

Sometimes when I'm working out at the gym and Law and Order is over and I need something else to watch, I flip the mini flat-screen in front of my usual treadmill to the Food Network.  Last week Bobby Flay made an incredible looking Italian-inspired grilled vegetable sandwich, and I thought--such a simple idea, and something I haven't done all summer!

This recipe is simple in technique, but it's time consuming to grill everything properly.  I suppose you could take a short-cut by purchasing plain grilled veggies from the prepared foods section of the grocery store, but that's almost too easy.

--K, happy to be back in Pittsburgh

Here are some tips and the alterations I made to Bobby's recipe:

-The garlic mayo is totally key here.  I used Veganaise instead, but don't skimp on the garlic.
-I also spread some tears of fresh basil on top of the two mayo applications.
-I added a layer of grilled zucchini in addition to the grilled eggplant.
-Another key to a successful sandwhich is that you season every component very well with salt and pepper--lube them up with some olive oil and sprinkle seasonings generously before grilling.  Then everything will come together well at the end.
-I skipped the arugula because I didn't have any, but I added thin slices of tomato.
-I roasted a yellow pepper instead of red, which added a nice sweetness and also brightened the sandwich layers with a silky pop of color.
-Use a whole ciabatta as instructed and then once the sandwich is composed, slice it to make individual servings for your lucky friends.

Delicioso.