Zucchini sauté

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons currants
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup (40g) pine nuts
• 400g zucchini, cut lengthways into 5mm-thick slices
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 12 mint leaves, finely shredded
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper sprig mint (optional), to serve 

Method

The combination of pine nuts and currants is frequently encountered in Sicilian-inspired dishes.

This dish is speedy to prepare and cook, and is at its best immediately after cooking, when the pine nuts are warm and the zucchini still a little crisp.

Preheat oven to 100°C and put an ovenproof serving dish inside to keep warm.

Soak currants in vinegar for 10 minutes, then set aside.

Heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat and fry pine nuts for 2 minutes or until golden, then tip onto a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.

Heat remaining olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over high heat and add zucchini slices in a single layer (remember to carefully place them in the hot oil, not drop them). Don’t shake the pan. The aim is for each slice to colour evenly and quickly. Turn slices carefully and cook until well coloured but still crisp, then transfer to serving dish in oven. Wipe out pan with paper towel and place over high heat.

Add garlic to pan and cook for a few seconds, then add currant/vinegar mixture; the vinegar will hiss, splutter and reduce almost instantly. Add pine nuts to the pan, shaking to mix with currant mixture, then spoon over zucchini. Add lemon juice and mint, then season with salt and pepper and top with a mint sprig, if using. Serve at once. 

Want to learn more about zucchini / squash?

Zucchini / squash