A tasty baby zucchini side dish recipe: Day 10
Who couldn’t resist making a side dish with only two ingredients (three, if you count the oil)? We were having a weekend lunch comprised of various leftovers and I was looking for a side vegetable dish to complement our meal. This recipe caught my eye: Baby zucchini with blue cheese. I just happened to have some adult zucchinis and blue cheese on hand and neither item had been chosen for any particular recipe. They were just sitting there in the fridge, waiting to be introduced to each other. Two ingredients and just two simple steps to make it? Sold! Plus, we were having friends pop by for a mid-afternoon impromptu toddler date (after a weekend of experiencing cabin fever from avoiding going out into the cold) and I thought it would look fancy to offer them a little appetizer when they arrived.
I used the toaster oven to prepare this side dish. And by lining the baking dish with foil I was able to eliminate having any dishes to wash afterward. A solid winner, in my books. This is probably the easiest thing I’ve ever made in my life. My morning toast requires more supervision.
The roasted zucchini melted in my mouth and required little to no chewing. I really enjoyed the strong salty taste of the cheese paired with the slight sweetness of the zucchini. I had thought that these tasty treats would make good appetizers for a dinner/cocktail party but the zucchini becomes so juicy when roasted that I recommend not serving them as finger food. We tried eating them with our fingers but the liquid was running down our hands and chins. Imagine the gasps had we served these New Year’s Eve with everyone in black ties and evening gowns? No, this dish is best served as a side. With cutlery. On a plate.
Another thing to keep in mind is that not everyone enjoys blue cheese. I would suggest finding out if your dinner guests have an aversion to such a pungent cheese. As pretty as the zucchini slices looked on my sushi-plate-that-no-longer-gets-used-for-sushi (who has the time to make sushi?) my friends recognized the tell-tale veins in the cheese and politely declined my offering, citing a dislike to Roquefort cheese. In fact, our toddler didn’t even eat one. And he’ll eat almost anything (except potatoes if they are not in French fry form). I’ll try making this again for guests, but perhaps with goat cheese covered in peppercorns next time.
