Buffalo Stance

I have no resolve, so there'll be no resolutions. Just because I'm trying to eat a few vegetables and it coincides with the new year, it doesn't mean anything...except that I'm trying to offset all of the buffalo and bison that I ate while in Aspen over the holidays. I'm just going to take a little time out from big game...and red meat in general. And maybe some carbs while I'm at it. That's my buffalo stance.

I ran across a roasted zucchini recipe in Food & Wine and it sounded like a pretty good place to start. Even though zucchini isn't a winter vegetable it is available year round, so I figured that I'd try treating it like a winter vegetable by roasting it. Even though zucchini can be cooked quickly in a saute pan without turning on the oven, I discovered that roasting helps it to dry out and brown more quickly...and you don't have to hover over it, moving it around the pan to help the liquid evaporate. Throw on a glob of ricotta and call it a day. Or, if that's too side-dishy for you, boil some pasta and toss it all together and serve with some Parm on top. Not everyone is calorie counting in the new year...I finished off my veg fest with a hunk of dark chocolate.



Roasted Zucchini with Ricotta
(Adapted from Food & Wine)

6 medium zucchini (2 pounds), diced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 whole garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Fresh ricotta, for serving
Chopped parsley, for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 425°. On a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle the diced zucchini with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil, season with salt and black pepper, and toss with the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Spread out evenly on the baking sheet and roast for about 20 minutes, until the zucchini pieces are browned around the edges.

2. Transfer the cooked zucchini to a bowl. Toss with the lemon juice and season with salt to taste. Serve with the ricotta, a drizzle of olive oil, and garnish with the parsley. Serves 4.