Zucchini salad with ajo blanco dressing & spiced nuts
Delight your palate with a refreshing zucchini salad drizzled with ajo blanco dressing and topped with perfectly spiced nuts. A culinary masterpiece awaits!
Ingredients:
- 3 to 4 slices white bread, crusts removed
- 3/4 cup blanched almonds, roughly chopped
- 1 garlic clove, peeled
- 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup ice-cold water
- 3 medium zucchinis, cut into random pieces
- 1/60g hazelnuts, chopped
- 1/60g blanched almonds, chopped
- 1/60g walnuts, chopped
- Pinch of smoked paprika
- 1 small handful flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, washed and chopped
- 1 small handful mint, washed and chopped
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Salt to taste
Instructions:
- To make the dressing, start by soaking the bread in water for 5 minutes. Squeeze out the excess water from the bread, then put it in a blender with the almonds, garlic, vinegar, and half a cup of the olive oil. Slowly pour in the cold water and blend on high speed for 30 seconds, or until you get a smooth mixture. Season with salt to your taste, then transfer the dressing to a bowl and set it aside until you're ready to serve.
- Heat the oven to 350°F
- On the stovetop, heat a ridged grill pan or grill over high heat until it starts to smoke slightly.
- Brush the cut sides of the zucchini slices with one-third cup of olive oil. Place them on the ridged grill pan and cook, turning occasionally, until they have grill marks all over. Transfer the zucchini to a baking sheet and finish cooking in the oven for another 3 to 5 minutes - you want them to be cooked through but still have some texture and crispiness. Once cooked, set them aside and keep them warm.
- Combine the nuts and the remaining olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat and heat them until they become fragrant. Transfer the nuts to a bowl, then season them with paprika and salt to your taste.
- To put together the dish, place the warm zucchini in a large mixing bowl along with the herbs and nuts, and gently mix everything together. Season with salt and add freshly ground black pepper if necessary.
- Spread most of the dressing on the bottom of your serving plate, then arrange the zucchini salad on top. If desired, drizzle some additional dressing over the top for extra creaminess, nuttiness, and texture.
Summary:
- Calories: 3214 kcal
- Fat: 305 g
- Protein: 50 g
- Carbs: 98 g
- Potassium: 2781 mg
- Magnesium: 538 mg