OMG, More Zucchini....A lovely salad

Yes, we still have zucchini.  You would think after several days of 100+ degree temperatures that the buggers would at least slow down production.  Not so.

After eating this salad, I don't want the zucchini to ever stop and may seriously buying it (*gasp*) out of season at the grocery!!

I've mentioned the cookbook "Plenty" before and one taste of this salad will be explanation enough as to why I love it so much!  Of course I had to substitute a few items in the original recipe due to living in a rural community, but I'm going to assume they made it taste BETTER!!

The other perk of this salad is the grilled zucchini that gives it a substantial feel and grilled flavor.  Perfect for the vegetarians in your life, or as a filling luncheon salad. 

I didn't completely peel the hazelnuts after oven toasting to give a little color to the salad and keep a rustic look going on!  I also used my vegetable peeler on the Parmigiano-Reggiano to have a nice cheese curl and a larger piece of cheese.

ZUCCHINI & HAZELNUT SALAD

1/3 cup hazelnuts

3 small zucchini, sliced on bias about ¼ inch thick

4 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Salt & pepper

1 Teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1 ¼ cup lettuce, sliced, I used romaine hearts

¼ cup basil leaves, torn

3 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shaved with vegetable peeler

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Spread hazelnuts on a baking sheet and roast 12-15 minutes until nicely browned.  Rub off skin, or leave on and roughly chop.

In a small bowl, toss zucchini with 2 Tbs. olive oil, salt and pepper.  On grill over high heat, lay out zucchini slices and cook 2 minutes per side, making sure you get nice grill marks.  Place in a mixing bowl and toss with balsamic vinegar.

Allow zucchini to cool, then add remaining olive oil, hazelnuts and basil.  Mix lightly, taste and adjust seasonings. (I added a bit of additional balsamic at this point too!)  Place small pile of lettuce on plate, top with zucchini mixture and a few pieces of shaved Parmigiano cheese.