Dan's Papers - July 25, 2008 - Simple Art of Cooking<

The sweet signs of summer are displayed at produce stands all over the East End. Farmers markets are simply out of control with the abundance of fruits and produce - zucchini, corn, string beans, berries, sugar snap peas, radishes, new potatoes - and on and on. With these markets literally at our back door providing top-notch quality and the knowledge of knowing where the food is coming from, inspiration abounds when preparing summer meals. The simplicity of preparation is the first consideration and, with the quality available, it won't take much to prepare foods of unmatched flavor.

Mollie Katzen, who made vegetables a beautiful word, inspired the combination of grated zucchini, eggs, cheese and thyme for a crust-less zucchini pizza. I was attracted to the recipe because it reminded me of my mother's family heirloom zucchini gratin - mom's recipe has appeared in these pages - with some slight differences in seasoning, and I'm sure she never heard of Mollie Katzen. I love the crunch of cooling cucumbers in summertime, yet the vegetable takes on an uncommonly delicious flavor when sautéed in butter and seasoned with parsley and lemon zest. Farm-fresh thin green beans, blanched then sautéed with toasted hazelnuts and a bit of cream is another example of taste and style when proper attention is given to the quality of ingredients.

GRATED ZUCCHINI PIZZA
Grated zucchini becomes the crust in this adaptation from Mollie Katzen's Vegetable book. It makes a quick and easy appetizer or side dish.
Serves 4-6

2 narrow zucchini, about 2/3 pound
2 eggs beaten
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Coarse (kosher) salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 cup grated mozzarella
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons plain bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

1. Scrub zucchini clean and trim ends. Grate on a four-sided hand grater or in a food processor fitted with shredding blade. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add beaten eggs, flour, thyme, cheeses, olive oil and 2 tablespoons bread crumbs. Blend the ingredients until thoroughly incorporated and spread in a buttered Pyrex pie plate. Sprinkle remaining bread crumbs over the top.

2. Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown or when a wooden skewer or cake tester comes out clean. Cool about 10 minutes then cut into wedges for serving. Can be made ahead and warmed through or served at room temperature.

JULIENNE OF PARSLEY CUCUMBER
If your tired of slicing raw cucumbers into a salad, try cooking them. They become something uncommonly delicious.
Serves 4-6

3 medium cucumbers
1 teaspoon coarse (kosher) salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley
Grated rind of 1 lemon

1. Peel, then halve cucumbers lengthwise. With a teaspoon, scrape out seeds and discard. Place cucumber halves flat-side down and cut lengthwise into thin julienne strips to resemble spaghetti. Spread the strips in a colander and sprinkle lightly with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let stand about 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, bring 2-3 quarts water to a boil and put in the cucumber julienne. Cover the pot, quickly return to the boil and cook for 1 minute. Drain immediately and refresh under cool water to stop the cooking. Spread on a clean kitchen towel and gently pat dry. Can be done ahead to this point.

3. Just before serving melt butter in a skillet and put in the cucumber julienne. Season with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and freshly ground pepper to your taste. Saute for 1-2 minutes over medium heat, sprinkle with parsley and lemon rind and stir to mix. Serve at once.

GREEN BEANS WITH HAZELNUT CREAM
Select Farm-fresh thin green beans for this elegant dish.
Serves 4

2/3-3/4 pound thin green beans
Coarse (kosher) salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2-3 tablespoons coarsely chopped peeled hazelnuts
2 tablespoons heavy cream
Freshly ground pepper
Fresh chives for garnish

1. Line up green beans, several at a time, with stem ends meeting. Cut through stem ends and discard. Do not remove the gracefully curved tails - think about it they're quite pretty. Bring 3 quarts water to the boil; add a spoonful of coarse salt. Put in the beans, cook with cover ajar for 5-6 minutes. Drain the beans and quickly refresh under a spray of cold water. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel and pat dry to absorb excess moisture. Can be prepared ahead to this point.

2. Melt butter with oil in a skillet and put in the hazelnuts. Toss nut to coat for a minute or two. Add the green beans, cream and salt and pepper to taste. Toss ingredients to heat through, about 2-3 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.