WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
Braising is a speedy and convenient stove top way to prepare a simple zucchini side dish. But since the vegetable naturally contains a lot of water, it’s easy to end up with waterlogged zucchini. To avoid this, we brought the zucchini pieces to a boil in a skillet, in a flavorful mixture of oil, water, basil, garlic, and pepper flakes. We then covered the skillet and let it simmer for 8 minutes, just until the pieces were fork-tender. Stirring it every 2 minutes ensured even tenderness throughout. We added cherry tomatoes and finished cooking the veggies
uncovered to drive off excess moisture. Once reduced, the flavorful liquid ably coated the vegetables. If possible, use smaller, in-season zucchini, which have thinner skins and fewer seeds. You will need a 12-inch skillet with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe.
SERVES: 6 to 8
TOTAL TIME: 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- Trim and quarter 4 zucchinis (8 ounces each) lengthwise, then cut them into 2-inch lengths.
- Halve 3 ounces of cherry tomatoes.
INSTRUCTIONS:
- In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, bring the following ingredients to boil: zucchini, ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, ¼ cup water, 2 sprigs fresh basil, 2 garlic cloves sliced thin, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes.
- Cover the skillet, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for about 8 minutes, or until the zucchini is fork-tender. Stir the mixture with a rubber spatula every 2 minutes.
- Gently stir in the halved cherry tomatoes and cook uncovered for about 2 minutes, or until the tomatoes are just softened.
- Discard the basil sprigs.
- Serve with lemon wedges.
