09.30Zucchini Carpaccio with Avocado, Lemon & Thyme
This Zucchini Carpaccio with Avocado, Lemon Thyme and Pistachio Oil is a healthy, easy to make end of summer salad, especially if you have extra zucchini from the garden or your local market. My friend, Helen, brought this salad to the opening of our crab season dinner this summer.
SERVES 3
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 best quality pistachio oil (or almond or extra virgin olive oil)
4 small fresh zucchini (each about 4 ounces) rinsed, dried and trimmed
l ripe avocado, peeled and very thinly sliced
1/4 cup salted pistachio nuts
4 sprigs fresh lemon thyme, with flowers if possible
Fleur de sel to taste (optional)
DIRECTIONS
With a mandoline or a very sharp knife, slice the zucchini lengthwise as thinly as possible.
Place the slices on a platter and pour the lemon mixture over the zucchini.
Tilt the platter back and forth to evenly coat the slices.
Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to l hour, so the zucchini absorbs the sauce and does not dry out.
PRESENTATION
Carefully arrange the slices of marinated zucchini on individual salad plates or serving platter, alternating with the avocado slices, slightly overlapping each slice.
Sprinkle with the pistachio nuts.
Seasons with thyme and fleur de sel, if using, and serve.
NOTE
Helen’s recipe came from “Vegetable Harvest” and appeared in The Vancouver newspaper. Like so many of us, Helen cut the recipe out thinking it sounded good, put it in her recipe box and didn’t put a date on it, so the date of publication is unknown!
-The Gourmet Review