The Viral Recipe That Has Us Rushing to the Store to Buy Zucchini
Last summer, the internet went wild over Thomas Keller's method for cooking zucchini. The legendary chef shared his method for pan-searing zucchini, which ensures that it comes out tender and caramelized rather than mushy and pale. His fresh approach sent home cooks (including us) rushing to their kitchen to try it for themselves.
A year after the Thomas Keller method turned zucchini cooking on its head, new iterations of his famous summer dish have been popping up. One recipe, created by food writer and recipe developer (and one of our favorite follows) Grace Elkus Bianconi, immediately went to our saved recipes folder. Elkus Bianconi is the person behind the viral feta fried egg and she also taught us to microwave our granola, which is a total game-changer. Here's what you need to know about her take on Keller's zucchini. We suspect you too will want to make it ASAP.
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What's So Great About Grace Elkus' Zucchini Boats?
In a video recently shared to her Instagram, Elkus Bianconi gives step-by-step instructions on how to make what she calls “the summer version” of her popular sweet potato boats. She uses the Thomas Keller method to pan-sear the zucchini, which involves halving the zucchini, cutting a cross-hatch pattern into the flesh, then salting it to draw out the moisture.
But it's how she dresses them up afterward that really takes this recipe over the top. The caramelized, perfectly tender zucchini is topped with lemon and herb-smashed feta, crispy chickpeas and a squeeze of lemon. It's everything we want to eat in the summer!
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How to Make Grace Elkus' Zucchini Boats
To make things even better, this recipe is easy. Preheat the oven to 450°, then prep your zucchini. Cut each zucchini in half lengthwise and score the flesh in a cross-hatch pattern. Pat dry with paper towels, sprinkle the cut sides with salt and let sit for 15 minutes or so to draw out any excess moisture (this will help them cook up tender but not mushy).
While the zucchini sits, you'll make some crispy chickpeas by patting them dry, tossing them with spices and oil and baking them until they're crispy.
Once the chickpeas are in the oven, move back to the zucchini. Blot it dry with paper towels, then heat avocado oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil begins to simmer, add the zucchini cut side down and cook until each piece begins to brown. Transfer the skillet to the lower rack in the oven and roast until the zucchini is tender and the chickpeas are crispy, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Now it's time for the smashed feta, which is a mixture of feta, lemon zest and juice, fresh dill and fresh mint. Add a drizzle of olive oil and some black pepper, then smoosh everything together with a fork. To assemble, top the zucchini halves with feta, followed by chickpeas and then finish with a squeeze of lemon juice. What a delicious way to eat your veggies!
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