Mock Guacamole, Zook Sauce, and other zucchini manifestations
Recipes and Opinions
So….I just learned that yesterday, July 31st, was National Avocado Day in the USA, which perked up my curiosity since our peak avocado season is typically between May and June, and the most superior fair trade avocados that come from Michoacán Mexico are available from January through March.
Yes, they do grow all year round; however, their flavor, texture, nutrition, and price are significantly better when they are consumed in their prime. They will have a higher oil content giving them that buttery texture that glides across toast, more depth of flavor, and more nutrient density.
When you buy them now, they are more likely to be watery, bruised before they ripen, stringy and cost twice or thrice as much. At my local coop, they are two dollars per fruit when they can be anywhere between $.50 to $1.00 during peak season.
The Origins of Avocado Day
So, I did a little Google digging to learn the origins of this so called National Avocado day.
This came up:
“This unofficial holiday was created by Model Meals, a company that endorses sustainable farming and healthy foods. The company's founders wanted to dedicate a day to avocado, as they see it as an essential superfood in many people's lifestyles”
Apparently, model meals is a food delivery service that has been featured on GOOP, they specialize in healthy, locally sourced, Whole 30 and paleo meals. They markets themselves as “sustainable” and claim to have founded National Avocado at the peak of Avocado season.
I am not sure if all of that is 100% true…but I do know it is zucchini season…like everywhere.
Zucchini Day? Let’s make it Zucchini week!
Apparently, August 8th is National Zucchini day, which actually makes sense, but it really should be a whole week, we get so much of it, and I just planted a fall crop, so there’s gonna be so much more/
Perhaps, I shall spend the week providing y’all with plant-based Zucchini recipes. I do love to celebrate the seasons and I am dying to make homemade vegan ricotta stuffed zucchini blossoms served over a simple sauce of grated tomatoes with olive oil and garlic. But, then again, they would also be delicious with Zook sauce, which is a variation of my Mock Guac recipe, both I have provided below.
You can also watch a quick video where I make Mock Guac to go with jalapeño, tomatillo and mashed potato crunchy rice paper chimichangas.
The Video:
The Earth Based Kitchen Channel
The Recipe:
Mock Guac
Ingredients:
-one zucchini
-1/4 of a medium onion (any kind)
-1-2 garlic cloves
-1-2 jalapeños, Serranos, poblanos, anaheim peppers, or green chile (whatever you like and depending on how much spice you want)
-olive oil, enough to roast your zucchini, garlic and onion
-Juice of 1/2 a lime
-bunch of cilantro and/or mint
-salt and pepper
Directions:
Set oven temp to 450F degrees
Cut zucchini into chunks, cut the onion quarter into half, de-seed and de-stem peppers, and season, and toss with olive oil, add unpeeled garlic to the mix and toss again. Add to a cast iron pan.
Alternatively, you can leave all or some of the garlic and onions out, so you will get more of a bite. I do love raw garlic flavor, so I do both with my garlic, but fully roast the onion.
Roast until zucchini chars and softens, maybe about 15 minutes. Keep an eye on it.
Once done, throw everything into a blender with the herbs and the lime juice, make sure to peel the garlic, and blend. Season to taste.
Zook Sauce (Bonus Recipe)
This is an all purpose sauce - inspired by Zhoug sauce - that can be used as a dip for fries or anything, sauce for pasta, stuffed zucchini blossoms, tamales, grits, legumes…
Ingredients:
-1 Zucchini
-olive oil for roasting and for drizzling over later
-3 cloves of garlic
-1/4 onion
-1 roasted poblano or 1-2 jalapeños if you like it spicy
-1 bunch of basil or Cilantro (not both), and/or Mint
-1 pinch of cardamom
-Juice of 1/2 lime
Directions:
Same directions as the “mock guac” but add a little extra olive oil, maybe a drizzle.
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