Shaved Zucchini Salad with Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette

This recipe is part of my Summer menu collaboration with Teressa Foglia.

I can never tired of eating Summer squash. Especially late June, when there is more zucchini than I could possibly know what to do with, I have to get a little creative in the ways I prepare it. I often will just grill it and top with grated parmesan as a side dish, or sauté and use in a morning frittata, or bake it into Zucchini Bread. I also love a zucchini fritter, a fried, indulgent way to enjoy the vegetable.

While all of those are delicious, I wanted to create a recipe that utilized raw zucchini and all of its flavor. I love raw zucchini and squash in a crudité, but what about in a salad, perfect for a hot summer day. The final result? A shaved zucchini salad with a delicious preserved lemon vinaigrette.

The colors of the salad are just stunning, bright yellow and greens melded together. You could also add colorful edible flowers, a simple way to add a rainbow to your dish.

If you are unfamiliar with preserved lemon, it is a lemon that has essentially been pickled. It is popular in Indian and Moroccan cuisine. Preserved lemons are used to add a bright, salty, and tangy flavor to a wide range of dishes. The preservation process softens the rind, mellows the intense lemon flavor, and imparts a unique, complex taste. 

I picked up a jar of this preserved lemon paste at Whole Foods and it has been sneaking its way into so many dishes. I love it in hummus, adding it to a marinade, grain salads or baked fish. The briny flavor is intense and contributes a VERY different flavor profile to a dish than fresh lemon juice or zest. You will notice in the dressing recipe that I use both, preserved and fresh, for depth, acidity, and brightness.

This salad can be made hours ahead, covered and refrigerated. Just be sure to hold off on dressing it until just before serving, as it will cause the zucchini and lettuce to wilt.

Now, let’s talk about the ingredients!

Zucchini and Summer Squash: Here, I used a mix of green and yellow squash. If you only have one variety, that is fine! Be sure to slice them very thin, so they are ribbony. I use a mandolin for this task. As always, watch your fingers when using a mandolin!

Lettuce or Microgreens: They serve as bedding for the salad, and also a garnish. I would recommend arugula, or arugula microgreens. They have a peppery, slightly bitter, and nutty flavor. The flavor is generally more intense than mature arugula, but it retains the distinctive peppery taste. I think it pairs wonderfully with the lemon and briny olives.

Preserved Lemon Paste: As mentioned above, I don’t think this will be the ingredient that you purchase for a recipe and let sit in the back of your fridge for months and months. (I’m looking at you, Worcestershire Sauce!) If you take a leap of faith and use this ingredient once, you’ll be finding endless uses for it later.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: There are so many good-quality olive oils readily available at supermarkets. Look for ones that are in dark glass, have a ‘picked on’ date, and bonus points for a single variety of olive. I am partial to olive oil from Italy, but there are many great ones available from Spain, Greece and even California. If you shop at Emilia Food Love for cheese, add some of their olive oil to your cart. Thank me later!

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: There are so many good-quality olive oils readily available at supermarkets. Look for ones that are in dark glass, have a ‘picked on’ date, and bonus points for a single variety of olive. I am partial to olive oil from Italy, but there are many great ones available from Spain, Greece and even California. If you shop at Emilia Food Love for cheese, add some of their olive oil to your cart. Thank me later!

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