Gremolata is the traditional topping for osso bucco made of lemon zest, garlic, and parsley all chopped finely and mixed. I like to riff on that, varying the herbs and adding breadcrumbs or nuts. I also think that summer squash is always enhanced by dry cooking methods such as roasting.
INGREDIENTS:
6 medium zucchini
zest of 1 lemon
20 basil leaves
1 shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup fresh breadcrumbs
1-2+more as needed tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
METHOD:
Heat the oven to 450°F. Line a sheet pan with foil.
Cut the zucchini by angling the knife at a 45 degree angle from parallel to the waist. Move an inch down the squash and rotate the squash a quarter turn and make the next cut. Continue until all are cut, and put into a bowl that will hold them all with a little room the spare.
Drizzle with just enough oil to moisten the squash, then toss to coat. Salt and pepper the squash, toss again, and put onto the sheet pan, leaving space between pieces so they roast, not steam.
Put in the center of the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes, or until golden and crisp on the edges.
While the squash cooks, mince the lemon zest. Stack the basil leaves and roll into a cylinder, and then slice down the length in fine shreds. Then mince the basil shreds. Toss the basil, lemon, shallot, and garlic together in a large bowl. Moisten with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Add the bread crumbs, and use your fingers to mix everything together.
When the squash is done, toss into the bowl with the “gremolata” and toss to mix all together.
Serve warm, or room temperature.
Chef’s Notes and Tips:
Add some orange zest into the mix to sweeten it up, or you could even marinate the squash by squeezing some orange and lemon juice on earlier in the day. Adding a few finely chopped pistachios to the gremolata would be nice as well.
Serves: 4
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
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