Spicy Zucchini served on Chile Verde Sauce

Spicy Zucchini served on Chile Verde Sauce

Zucchini is a summer squash which can be cooked in so many different ways.  The beautiful bright green skin color makes this dish pop with "I want to taste that". 

I made this dish today as a trial to see if I would enjoy mixing the different flavors brought from Italian and Mexican cuisine. I am calling it Spicy Zucchini served on Chile Verde sauce.

Basil Cilantro Pesto

Making pesto is easy but you need to take your time. Use your blender for this quantity of basil and cilantro leaves. These ingredients will make a little more then 1/2 pint of pesto. When blending you will be

Top with Olive Oil & Refrigerate

tempted to add more Olive Oil...you do not need too. Just keep pushing the leaves down to be blended; turn blender off push leaves down. You will need to repeat this last step over and over until the pesto is blending completely. I did not add salt to the ingredients because the cheese is salty and I did not want to over whelm the dish.

Basil Cilantro Pesto

Blend:

• 1 Handful Cilantro
• 1 Bunch of Basil
• 1 Tbs toasted sliced almonds
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan Cheese
• 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Look at the creaminess of this pesto.  It is rich with flavor, color and deliciousness.  For the left over pesto pour a layer of olive oil on top to prevent oxygen from touching the pesto. Oxygen will turn the pesto dark green. And refrigerate. I mix a little mayo with my left over pesto and use it as a sandwich spread.

Now that you have the pesto done, you need to decide how many zucchini rolls do you want to make.  One average size zucchini will slice into 7-slices nicely. You will have left over zucchini which you can sliced and tossed into a salad.

Small Can

Small Can

     Ingredients:

• Zucchini
• Enchilado Cheese
• 1 Tbs EVOO
• Pinch of Garlic powder
• Sprinkle Montreal Steak spice
• Roasted Ortega Chile
• Chile Verde Sauce

 Gently fry zucchini slices in olive oil (1 tablespoon EVOO).

   

Allow the zucchini to cool until you can roll it comfortably without burning your fingers. Spread a layer of Basil Cilantro Pesto, place a strip of Ortega chile pepper on top of the pesto, and a piece of Enchilado cheese, roll and insert toothpick to hold.  

Heat Chile Verde sauce and pour a small ladle of sauce on plate and place one or two zucchini rolls on sauce.  Sprinkle some sliced roasted almonds and some shredded Parmesan cheese for presentation.  

Two rolls were more then enough for me.  I would have been satisfied with one roll.  The rolls are full of flavor and are very satisfying.  I can see a bold red wine going very nicely with these.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I did and that you follow me at:

https://www.facebook.com/LaMexicanitaKitchen?ref=hl

Note:  Left over Ortega chiles and the chile verde sauce can be placed in the freezer for a future meal.  I just vacuum package what I didn't use and freeze.