Grilled Zucchini Ribbons

Here in southern Ontario (Toronto specifically), the first zucchini are ready and often the bounty overwhelming! Through the summer, I will feature some creative ways to cook up all these veggies coming out of your garden.

One of the easiest and tastiest ways to enjoy vegetables is by grilling them. With summer here, the last thing anyone wants is to spend too much time in the kitchen. If you have a gas or charcoal grill, one can prepare most of your meal outdoors, including the vegetables.

Sure, we can grill strips of zucchini or other vegetables but this easy and fancy hack is one you shouldn’t have an issues with.

You need a vegetable peeler and a little dexterity in threading the zucchini ribbons in an “S” shape through the skewers. A peeler will yield you thin ribbons that won’t snap when you fold them. That’s it!

Grilled Zucchini Ribbons

(yields 4 skewers)

1 medium sized zucchini

bamboo skewers

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp. minced garlic

2 Tbsp. fresh mint, finely chopped

1 tsp. dried Greek oregano

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. ground pepper

sweet paprika

fresh squeezed lemon juice

1. Rinse and cut the ends off your zucchini and discard. Using a vegetable peeler, cut long ribbons off your zucchini.
2. Thread the ribbons through your skewers in an ” S” pattern. Continue thread zucchini ribbons until your skewer is filled up.
3. Into a small bowl, add the olive oil, garlic, mint, oregano, salt and pepper and whisk with a fork. Using a pastry brush, baste the zucchini skewers with dressing. Sprinkle paprika on both sides.
4. Pre-heat your grill to medium-high. Grill each side for about 2 minutes a side, just enough to char them.
5. Remove from the heat place on a platter, sprinkle some sweet paprika on them, serve with lemon wedges.