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Everything tastes better in Italian.

And I’m not just saying that because with a last name like “Bruno”, one could infer that I am slightly biased.

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I am saying that because I have proof.  Undeniable.  Veritable.  Proof.

P<

Statistically significant proof.

Now doesn’t that just make shivers run up and down your spine?

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Now. If I were an evangelist of any kind.  I would go on for a few paragraphs about how I was a non-believer.  How my life was in shambles.  How I hit rock bottom only to be lifted up again on the wings and nuances of Italian terminology.  And was made to see the light.

However.  I have to leave for BlogHer in twenty minutes.  And so you have been spared.

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The food, alas, will have to speak for itself.

But just for posterity’s sake.  Let me tell you.  I don’t like raw zucchini.  And so when I saw that our next Symon Sunday recipe was for “Raw Zucchini Salad” with “Zucchini Crudo” in parentheses.  I was nonplussed.

Then I ate a whole bowl in a day.  Yes.  Almost four pounds of zucchini.  In one day.

That was when I decided.  This isn’t “raw zucchini salad”.  It doesn’t deserve that kind of downgrade.

It’s big and it’s bold.

It’s “Zucchini Crudo”.

And it will not be held down.

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Zucchini Crudo (a.k.a. Raw Zucchini Salad a.k.a. the only zucchini recipe you’ll ever need unless you’re my lemon hating father who wouldn’t touch this with a ten foot pole)
Serves 4 if you have any kind of self-control, 2 if you refuse to be held down by things like serving sizes in the face of truly amazing food, adapted from Michael Symon’s Live To Cook

2 zucchini, thinly sliced
2 summer squash, thinly sliced
1 tbsp plus 1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp minced garlic
1 shallot, finely sliced
grated zest and juice of three lemons, or to taste
2 tbsp olive oil (reduced down from 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup slivered almonds (reduced down from 1/3 cup)
1/3 cup of chopped fresh dill
1/2 cup crumbled feta (my own personal touch)

1. Take one zucchini worth of zucchini slices and place it in a colander in the sink.  Salt it.  Add another zucchini’s worth of zucchini slices.  Salt it.  Repeat until you have layered all of the squash and zucchini.  Let sit for 15 minutes.  (Alternatively, you could just mix it all in the colander at once but I thought this would allow for a more even salt coating.  Which is actually kind of integral to this recipe.)

2. In a large bowl, combine the garlic, shallot, lemon juice and zest, olive oil, dill, almonds and feta.  Taste for seasoning and acidity. (I.e. it should be very acidic.)

3. Add the zucchini and squash to the dressing.  Toss again.  Taste for seasoning.

This is my submission to Symon Sundays hosted over at A Year In The Kitchen and to Weekend Herb Blogging which is being hosted this week by Cafe Lynnylu.  And also to Meatless Mondays hosted by Chaya at My Sweet and Savory!
Today is you last day to enter my GIVEAWAY!  Winner will be announced on Monday!

Also, remember to send me your recipes for Regional Recipes: PUERTO RICO

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You are reading this post on Eats Well With Others at https://joanne-eatswellwithothers.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author and or owner of Eats Well With Others. All rights reserved by Joanne Bruno.
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85 Responses to Zucchini Crudo

  1. I admit, raw zucchini doesn’t appeal to me but I love lemon so I’m going to trust you on this one. After all, you are italian and you of all people should know!!

    Have fun at BlogHer, can’t wait to hear about it!

  2. Ty'sMommy says:

    PERFECT recipe for this time of year, Joanne! We have zucchini and yellow squash coming out our ears right now and we’re always looking for a new way to serve it. Thanks for sharing!

  3. Swathi says:

    I love the vibrant colors in the zucchini salad,simple delicious.

  4. Oh, yum! Always looking for great things to do with zucchini at this time of year! 🙂

  5. I’m feeling left behind in the zucchini deluge. Every time I see a zucchini recipe, I wish I had a gigantic pile of them in my kitchen. Obviously, I need to visit the farmers’ market. This sounds so good with the dill and almonds, and the feta was a great addition!

  6. Mary says:

    You’ve certainly convinced me to try this. I love the colors and the freshness of the ‘crudo’. It really looks delicious. I hope you are having a great day. Blessings…Mary

  7. Dawn says:

    Love the dill and feta with it!

  8. elra says:

    How delicious Joanne, love the personal touch with feta 🙂

  9. Kim says:

    Have lots of fun at the BlogHer event! I LOVE zucchini raw and cooked and this looks delicious. Love that you threw in some feta with it. I can certainly see how you managed to polish off the whole batch in one day;-)

  10. “Crudo Bruno” does have a ring to it (especially with an Italian accent) and so does this combination of flavors. Can’t wait to try it to keep my zucchini crop at bay. Love the addition of the feta!

  11. Sarah S. says:

    Oh goodness, I think I found a home for my out of control dill weed in my herb garden. Have fun at blogher.

  12. I have a lemon hating hubby. I think I will be the only one who eat this salad. It looks delicious and healthy to me! 😉

  13. My mouth is watering!
    I have a whole basket of squash from my neighbors garden… just waiting for me to get home.
    A friday’s favorite for sure!

  14. Karla says:

    You ARE on a zucchini kick!!!! Sounds delish! And I agree….Italian is da’bomb. I dream of Italy and cooking in an Italian kitchen. However, I feel no guilt in indulging in a pan of enchiladas…..and yes, a pan. 🙂

  15. Tasha says:

    Yay, I’m glad you loved it. To be honest, I was taking a chance with this pick as I am not actually big on raw zucchini either, but Michael Symon was pretty convincing with his claim it was an epiphany. LOVE your addition of feta in this!

  16. Elizabeth says:

    Zucchini Crudo-ology 101 — fantastic, Joanne! I love this recipe. How do you say yum-yum in Italian . . . molto bene?

  17. Beautiful and so healthy..

  18. Katerina says:

    This salad looks really yummy. All these summer goodies are perfect. Yes, you are a little bit biased, but who wouldn’t be. Italy has offered great culinary flavors to the world’s cuisine.

  19. Monet says:

    Almonds, feta, and fresh zucchini…I’m drooling. What a simple summer recipe, and I agree, Italian food is unbeatable. I hope you have a lovely time at Blogher!

  20. i have been so into yellow squash lately-this looks delicious!

  21. Alisa says:

    Have fun at Blogher!

    I confess, I am probably one of the only people who doesn’t like raw zucchini. Really dislike that whole raw zucchini noodle craze. Odd one out. Maybe a good marinade like this one …

  22. Gosh those look good. Now that I don’t grow it anymore, I love zucchini. Before it was the dread zucchini be this time of the season… growing 2′ long during the week when I was away!! I can’t wait for the green market tomorrow!

  23. Ameena says:

    I could easily eat 5 lbs of zucchini, especially in a dish as good as yours! I think it is my favorite vegetable.

    Have a fantastic time at Blogher. How I wish I were in NYC!

  24. Suman Singh says:

    salad looks so refreshing and delicious..love the combination of dill and feta cheese..I almost can taste it..ahh..yummie..

    Have fun at Blogher!

  25. Chris says:

    Colorful and a great use of summer veggies. Have fun at Blogher.

  26. I think it sounds fabulous but I like anything that has to do with zucchini. What’s up with dad not liking lemon?

  27. Zucchini is one of my favorite vegetables! I’m glad you found a way to enjoy them as well!

  28. Funny I made something very similar just the other night. love it!

  29. Is it wrong to like a dish just because it’s pretty? Because I’ve never had this dish but just based on looks alone, I’m a fan 🙂

  30. Julie says:

    You’ve made me a believer…I didn’t even know what a crudo was 🙂

  31. Ooo that looks so yummy and fresh! Have fun at BlogHer!

  32. Amy says:

    I’m not a huge fan of raw zucchini either, but leave it to you to turn me. It certainly looks awfully pretty. Now go and take BlogHer by storm!

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  34. tigerfish says:

    I like how simple it is to put up this salad. I am not even a big fan of zucchini in the first place – raw or cooked. But lately, zucchini is coming into my kitchen, liking it or not ;p

  35. Kiersten says:

    That dish is so perfect for summer! I couldn’t agree more about the “Everything is better in Italian” statement! Of course, it has nothing to do with the fact that I’m Italian…

  36. Kiersten says:

    By the way, all the photos on your blog are lovely!

  37. Wow! Love the idea of lemon, almonds and feta with this – I must make this!

  38. Simple, fresh and beautiful. Raw zucchini salad doesn’t do it justice. I’m not Italian but I must agree with you here. Thanks- have fun at BlogHer for me!

  39. Reeni says:

    I used to think I didn’t like any kind of summer squash! But I could eat this entire bowl. Easily. I love everything about it! I might be writing proposal letters to Michael Symon soon…

  40. such a great summer dish!

    xo Alison

  41. Chef Dennis says:

    that is a great salad, I have never thought about using zucchini raw this way, I bet it was really good! I would love to try this on our salad bar for my girls!

  42. Zucchini Crudo look fabulous and I just bought a bunch of zucchini! I also love your statistical reference:) Hope BlogHer is going well – look forward to your next post – Cheers!

  43. Kelsey says:

    just wanna say that i saw ur pic on burp and slurp and YOU ARE GORGEOUS!!!! <3 <3

  44. Lynn says:

    We’ve been eating our veggies grilled lately, but with an endorsement like yours, I’m ready to try this. It sounds like it’s a winner winner chicken dinner 🙂

  45. Sook says:

    What a great vegetable dish! Awesome!

  46. theUngourmet says:

    Your father is a lemon hater?! Well now, that’s just sad! Your crudo looks fantastic! Hope you are having a crazy good time at BlogHer!

  47. Debinhawaii says:

    I love raw zucchini as long as it has some flavor added to it. 😉 I thought Tyler’s Carpaccio of Raw Zucchini was the ultimate but this looks just as wonderful if not better! 😉 Have fun at BlogHer lucky girl.

  48. grace says:

    what a fine way to highlight summer veggies. makes me wish i could claim italian heritage. 🙂

  49. Faith says:

    That’s so true — why do foods taste SO MUCH better in Italian?! I agree, the name raw zucchini salad doesn’t nearly do this beauty justice! 😉

    Have a fabulous time at BlogHer!

  50. I do love raw zucchini! Your zucchini crudo looks very pretty and delicious.

  51. Sara says:

    This looks INCREDIBLE! Fantastic color, and it just looks so perfect for a summer dish. Yum!

  52. Biren says:

    I have not tried zucchini raw but this sounds pretty tasty. The next time I slice a zucchini, I’ll have to have a bite 🙂

  53. Stella says:

    Zucchini Crudo! Hey Joanne. I like raw zucchini. But if the Italian name makes it more delectable for you, that’s great. It does sound better actually!

  54. Your zucchini sounds like something I would love. Sounds a bit like the Zucchini recipe I posted recently…..a bit of magic happens when raw zukes come in contact with creamy, salty feta cheese.I am so happy for you that you are attending BlogHer in NY!!! Can’t wait to hear all about it

  55. Kerstin says:

    This just screams summer – love it! And your P<0.05 reference of course 🙂 Hope you have fun at BlogHer!

  56. Almonds and zucchini? Now that’s new to me. I definitely need to get my fill (who am I kidding? not possible) of zucchini while it’s still in season. This is the perfect fix for a junkie like me. Have fun at BlogHer!

  57. teresa says:

    this looks amazing, and i LOVE the fact that you added cheese! excellent recipe, and another reminder that i really need that cookbook!

  58. girlichef says:

    I’m convinced. I’ll go for the big bowl 😉

  59. PJ says:

    such a vibrant and colorful photo, Joanne! looks so delicious and perfect for the season indeed.

  60. Nadji says:

    Je me rends compte que je ne mange jamais de courgettes crues non plus.
    Ta salade me fait envie.
    je note.
    See soon

  61. wow great salad never thought to serve zucchini this way oh and we may come to NYC in Nov/dec we should meet this time !

  62. isn’t it crazy?? i told him he didn’t have to come, but invited him if HE WANTED TO and he’s coming back to la early JUST so he can go. crazy right? he’s asking me how to talk to my dad and all. strange!!!
    and hilarious how mutual friends of ours are in the know with it!

  63. Raw Zucchini – nah. But when it is crudo, it is only raw in Simon’s mind.

    I could see myself eating this, very easily.

  64. This looks great! I wish more of my zucchini would actually grow!

  65. Dana says:

    I just let go of my CSA and I don’t garden so I’m not expecting a zucchini overload but I will gladly buy a bunch to make this. Sounds awesome!

  66. Felt the same way about raw zucchini but now you are making me question my feeling and wanting to try them like you did! the ingredients in this salad make it sound perfect!

  67. I do my best to eat as much raw food as possible. And zucchini are one of those veggies that do very well raw. This looks delicious and perfect for hot summer day when you don’t want to turn the stove on.

  68. kickpleat says:

    I love the sound of this! I don’t know if I’ve ever even eaten raw zucchini but I love the tang of lemon and dill. I’m trying to eat more things raw, so I’ll definitely add this to my to-do list.

  69. I have a huge bag of squash and zucchini from the farmers market. this looks great and gives me another way to use up all of it!

  70. Hannah says:

    Excellent! I’m all about the zucchini right now, and I can’t have too many recipes. Looks delicious, and so simple!

  71. Little Inbox says:

    The colors look so beautiful.

  72. Yasmeen says:

    A refreshing summer salad,I’m the only one in the house who loves raw zucchini.

  73. Love Italian foods and how they bring out gorgeous flavors with simple ingredients. This salad looks scrumptous

  74. Carolyn Jung says:

    You’re talking like a fancy restaurant chef with the crudo! Love it. 😉

  75. Take a minute and please link this up to My Meatless Mondays. I keep coming back to it. I love the light feel to it. Everyone should know about it.

    http://sweetsav.blogspot.com/2010/08/my-meatless-mondays-brown-rice-salad.html

  76. Cristie says:

    I love this salad. I have one that is simlar where I use these delicious veggies and make ribbons out of them. The feta is perfect!! You’re so lucky to be Italian naturally 🙂

  77. Andreas says:

    Your pictures capture this dish really well.
    I just received Symon’s book today and as I was leafing through it, I recognized the dish because the picture looked so familiar. 😉

  78. lemon hating? I didn’t know this was a possibility. my husband has an equally vowel studded italian last name and would probably agree with you.

  79. Joanne, did you get the bowl from IKEA? I have the same one ^_^

  80. Lori says:

    What a great way to enjoy summer squash! Ours has stopped producing in our garden, but I have to admit I was tiring of zucchini bread and vegetable stir-fry. I’ll be trying this if I can still find some at the Farmer’s Market.

  81. Karen says:

    I love zucchini – raw and cooked. Just picked my first zucchini from the garden two days ago and there are many more coming, so I’m going to give this a try!

  82. Martha (MM) says:

    I’ve been missing too much lately! Just scrolling through catching up on all your latest and greatest. Yep, this is another one for the list. Have a great weekend Joanne 🙂

  83. ohoho, this was before the fight with Michael S.? How could I miss it? Then,you are as brilliant a cook when you two don’t fight than when you do…

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