Gratin of Zucchini and Tomatoes
Two of summer's stellar vegetables are layered here, along
with a few other choice ingredients, to make a delicious baked
gratin. As soon as it's pulled from the oven, fresh Parmesan
cheese is sprinkled over the top.
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Ingredients:3 cloves garlic , crushed
2/3 cup fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
2 cups fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs , (see Tip), divided
1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion , such as Vidalia
3 large ripe tomatoes , diced
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt , divided
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil , divided
3 medium zucchini , (about 1 3/4 pounds total), sliced on the bias
about 1/4 inch thick
Freshly ground pepper , to taste
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheeseInstructions
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish (or
similar gratin dish) with cooking spray.
2. Place garlic, basil and thyme on your chopping board; mince
well. Spread half the breadcrumbs evenly in the prepared baking
dish. Strew onion over the breadcrumbs. Distribute half the diced
tomato over the onion, then sprinkle with half the garlic-herb
mixture. Sprinkle with vinegar and 1/8 teaspoon salt.
3. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over
medium-high heat. Add a third of the zucchini; you want it to
sauté, not stew, so don't crowd it. Sauté, turning the pieces
once, until golden and not quite tender, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per
side. When the slices are done, use a fork to transfer them to the
gratin, overlapping the slices. Cook the remaining zucchini in two
batches, each time using 2 teaspoons oil. Strew the remaining
tomatoes and garlic-herb mixture over the zucchini. Season with the
remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and a grinding of pepper. Toss the
remaining 1 cup breadcrumbs with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and
sprinkle over the gratin.
4. Bake the gratin until bubbly hot, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove
from the oven and immediately sprinkle with Parmesan.
Yeild: 4 servings
