Zucchini. Seven Days. Seven Ways.
Day 2: The new Old Fashion
Mama Rule is everybody’s mama and anything but old fashion. We first met in college when I became quick friends with her daughter and thirteen years later I couldn’t imagine my life with out either of them. Mama is pretty much the most hospitable person on the planet, agreeing to let me rent a room at their house when I lost my first apartment. At a time when I ate granola bars for breakfast and a can of tuna(PLAIN!) for lunch everyday, dinner’s at the Rule house were always a treat. She not only taught me a thing or two about cooking she taught Brian as well. Always preaching the importance of a well balanced meal and teaching things like how important it is to eat the skin of a potato. Coincidentally enough she is flying into LA today for a two week visit from her Florida home and I’m super stoked!
I’m going on about all of this because in those days she reintroduced me to zucchini. The only zucchini I ever knew was my grandmothers. I consider nanny’s way of cooking it old fashion, on the stove top with LOTS of butter. Isn’t that the way they cook everything in the country, swimming in butter. Basically cooked to a mush it was never too appetizing to me. Ironically when I was young I was an extremely picky eater and ate very little veggies out side of corn and cucumbers. During my stay at the Rule house I really opened up to an array of foods, thanks to mamas cooking. I couldn’t bear to be rude and tried everything, lucky for me the selections were healthy and delicious. Now I eat pretty much everything.
I think the stove top is old fashion and the grill is where its at. The absolute best and easiest way to eat zucchini is the mama rule way. All you need are some zucs, olive oil and two key ingredients. Garlic Salt and Paprika. Yep that’s it! I’m so obsessed with that combo lately I’ve been putting it on all my roasted veggies, like broccoli, cauliflower and brussels sprouts. If you have normal zucs from the store you can halve them, if they are gargantuan like mine you can cut them into quarters. Spray flesh with olive oil and then top with garlic salt and paprika. I say top and hesitate to say sprinkle because you don’t wanna be shy. I told my hubby the other day he makes these better than I. He replied that mama taught him to never be shy with the spices. Here I am using my “eye ball” method again but I think you can do it! Then grill them on oiled tin foil over medium heat for about 7 min. If they are thinker pieces they will take a bit longer but be sure not to cook them into mush.
A couple of weeks ago we had a dinner party and when Emily commented on how good the zucchini was, I asked her if she knew where I learned to prepare it. When she replied no, I said “Your Mama!” Em often says I learned more from her mom than she did but seeing now what a great mom she her self has become, I doubt it. Old fashion or not we always become our mothers.
Tomorrow, Day 3: Tickle your Fancy
Oven Roasted Lemon Pepper Zucchini