Zucchini that looks like gears, pasta that looks like rags

When Romanesco Zucchini is sliced into rounds, it can look like interlocking gears.

In today’s Seasonal Pantry, which you can read here, I talk about Romanesco zucchini and promise to post a photo, so here you go.

A whole Romanesco Zucchini from Beet Generation, about 7 inches long, which is fairly small for this variety.

This zucchini can also take the place of pasta. Using a mandoline, you can slice it into long thin ribbons that resemble spaghetti or larger ribbons that look more like fettucini. The zucchini holds up when blanched or sauteed and is delicious with light sauces.

At last Saturday’s Chosen Spot dinner, local wild King salmon was served atop a bed of Romanesco zucchini “pasta” and napped with a Meyer lemon beurre blanc. Although everything at the dinner was excellent, this was my favorite dish. You can see the full menu and great photographs of the event here. John Lyle and his crew did a fabulous job.

Romanesco zucchini pasta with butter, garlic, Italian parsley and bacon.

Last night for dinner, when I realized I still had Romanesco zukes in the frig, I quickly pulled out my mandoline, shredded some of it into pasta, sauteed it in garlic and butter and topped it with crisp bacon. Yum yum oh yum.

In today's column, I also mention cencione, a pasta shaped like and named for rags. It is increasingly common at local independent markets.

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