Zucchini, Corn, and Almond Salad with Peppery-Lemon Dressing and Parmesan

Zucchini, Corn, and Almond Salad with peppery-lemon dressing and Parmesan cheese

Recently I found myself with way too much zucchini on my hands, thanks to Trader Joe’s. If you happen to be shopping at TJ’s when the urge for a single zucchino strikes you, you have no choice but to haul home their shrinkwrapped, 1.5-pound mega-zuke-pack. What to do with all that extra squash? Make this salad!

I got the idea for combining zukes and almonds from Viana LaPlace’s Unplugged Kitchen. Her Zucchini Carpaccio with Almonds calls for raw, young zucchini to be sliced wafer-thin by mandolin or Japanese slicer. I lack the tools and the patience (plus my zukes were the regular middle-aged variety) so I came up with this salad version instead. It’s a warm, roasty, crunchy, lemony, peppery delight. And the veggies and almonds are so sweet that no sugar is needed for the dressing!

Zucchini, Corn, and Almond Salad
1 pound zucchini, cubed
1½ cups fresh corn kernels (from about 1½ large ears)
Olive oil or olive oil spray, for roasting
2 tablespoons lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup blanched, slivered almonds, lightly toasted
1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese (about ½ cup)

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Mix zucchini and corn on a rimmed baking sheet. (Mixing well will prevent outlying corn kernels from burning.) Drizzle or spray with oil and toss until well coated. Spread out into a single layer and roast until zucchini is tender, about 15 minutes. Let cool to warm or room temperature, 10 to 20 minutes.

In a medium serving bowl, combine lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Add olive oil and whisk vigorously until well combined. Add zucchini and corn, mixing well to coat. Add almonds and cheese. Toss lightly.

Serves 2- 4.

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