Appetizer #18 - Sweet Zucchini Pickles

 The Year of Appetizers

Appetizer #18 - Sweet Zucchini Pickles

    The Olive and The Caper is a cookbook of Greek recipes, published in 2004.  It is a beautiful cookbook and I look forward to trying more of its recipes. The opening section teaches us about the many regions of Greece, and this book contains recipes from all over this beautiful country. I really enjoyed this appetizer and have now made it twice, before even writing about it. A friend of mine who is Greek, said she liked them and that's all I needed to hear. Note that you can also serve this appetizer as a salad or side dish. Also, it would be best to keep it in a glass bowl, not plastic dishes, as the turmeric in the recipe stains plastic. And if you do keep it in a plastic container, it's worth having a stained container, because it's so good. It's not difficult to make, so try this recipe!! Also, I made a smaller batch than what the recipe calls for, so look for my modifications in italics. 

    The quote by Hesiod, circa 700 B.C.E., below is included towards the front of the book. It is a wish that you have plenty of food and do not know hunger. In Roman mythology, Demeter is the goddess of agriculture, fertility, the Earth and its harvest. 

"....That hunger may hate you, and venerable Demeter, richly crowned, may love you and fill your barn with food.."

Ingredients:

4 small to medium zucchini,  with the ends trimmed and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds

1 to 1 1/2 medium onions, quartered and thinly sliced, about 1/8-inch thick

1 tsp kosher or fine sea salt (I used pink Himalayan)

1 1/2 tsp dry mustard

1 1/2 tsp mustard seeds

3/4 tsp ground turmeric

1/4 tsp whole cloves

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup white wine vinegar 

*If you want to make the full recipe as given in the cookbook, use 3 lbs of zucchini, 2 onions and double the rest of the ingredients*

Directions:

Place the sliced zucchini in a large colander and sprinkle the salt over it. Toss the zucchini and salt and set aside for 10 to 15 minutes. Mix the seasonings and add to a large pot with the white wine vinegar. Bring to a rolling boil and remove from heat. Pour the salted zucchini into the large pot, once you've removed the pot from heat. Stir to cover the zucchini mixture with the vinegar mix and let cool. When cool, transfer the mix to a large container, cover and refrigerate overnight. You can keep covered pickles refrigerated, for up to two months (but they did not last that long for me). 

Zucchini Pickles

Week 27 - Malabar Fish Curry

Malabar Fish Curry

Week 27 of 52

Entree Meat/Fish #4

    I'm back! And, we're a week more than half-way through Fifty Two In Twenty Two!!! Life has gotten in the way and I just now finally made this entree. Also, because of life, I made the Week 27 recipe (a dessert) last week. Located in southwestern India, the Malabar Coast, the region has been a major spice exporter since 3000 BCE. The Malabar Coast is also known as the "Garden of Spices" or the "Spice Garden of India".  This week's recipe, Malabar Curry, is from the 1995  "Quick After-Work Curries" cookbook. I like curry and thought I'd give it a shot. 

    This recipe required that I make a visit to the local Indian grocery nearby. I needed several seasonings, sesame oil, coconut milk, fish, lime pickle and onion. I only had one seasoning, mustard and the onion. The original recipe calls for lemon sole fillets. I used tilapia and thought that worked well. You could use the lemon sole, tilapia or another white fish. I thought maybe you could use salmon. I think the salmon flavor might not work well, but give it a shot. I'm sure you could also make this sauce and instead of fish, use chicken or for vegetarian options, tofu, paneer cheese or cubed potato. 

    This dish was quick to prepare and cook, taking maybe 30 minutes? Not sure. I didn't time myself. I am so glad I tried something different. It's my first totally homemade curry.  I will definitely make this again and because I had to buy most of the seasonings, I can try other curries from this cookbook. 

Ingredients: 

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

3/4 finely sliced onion (I used a whole, medium sized onion)

1 tablespoon minced lime pickle (I used 2 tablespoons)

1 teaspoon dry mustard 

1 3/4 cups coconut milk

10-12 curry leave, fresh or dried (optional)

2 lemon sole fillets (I used tilapia, cut into chunks)

salt to taste

optional garnishes: 4-6 lime wedges, freshly ground black pepper

Directions: 

Heat oil in wok/large skillet. Stir-fry turmeric for 10 seconds. Add the mustard, coriander and cumin seeds and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add sliced onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add lime pickle, mustard, coconut milk and curry leaves. Bring to a simmer and add fish. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, ensuring the fish is thoroughly cooked. Add salt if desired. Serve over rice with lime wedges and black pepper. Makes 2 to 3 servings. 

Malabar Fish Curry over Rice

Sliced onions cooking with turmeric, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds and mustard.

Malabar Fish Curry