Caviar de Courgettes, Provençal Zucchini Spread
Caviar de courgettes is a Provençal apéritif spread, named for the way the soft, speckled puree looks heaped in a bowl, not for any resemblance in taste. It belongs to the same summer table as tapenade and anchoïade, a thing to scoop up with raw vegetables while something else cooks. The usual recipe is generous with olive oil and often finished with goat cheese or fresh chèvre, both of which are really there for richness and body. Roasting the zucchini hard does most of that work by concentrating the flesh, and a spoonful of tahini supplies the rest as a whole-food fat, while lemon keeps it lively. The one thing that separates a good version from a sad one is water: roast rather than boil, and drain the flesh before you blend, or the spread will be thin and dull. Pile it in a bowl, scatter more herbs on top, and serve it cold.
Ingredients
- 2 lb Zucchini, halved lengthwise
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 2 tbsp Tahini
- 2 tbsp Lemon juice
- 1/4 cup Basil, torn
- 1/4 cup Flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1/4 tsp Black peppercorns, ground
Method
- Roast the zucchini halves cut side down on a baking sheet at 425F (220C) until the flesh is collapsed and browned, about 25 minutes. Roasting is the whole trick: it drives off the water that would otherwise make a watery, gray puree and concentrates the zucchini's flavor instead.
- Let the halves cool, then scrape the flesh from the skins and let it sit in a sieve a few minutes. Draining off the last of the released liquid is what separates a caviar, thick enough to hold on a knife, from a runny sauce.
- Blend or mash the flesh with the raw garlic, tahini, and lemon juice. Tahini brings the richness the classic gets from olive oil or a soft cheese, but as a whole-food fat, and it thickens the spread as it emulsifies with the lemon.
- Fold in the basil, parsley, and black pepper by hand so the herbs stay bright and visible. Chill at least 30 minutes to firm up before serving.
- Serve cool, on raw vegetables, cucumber rounds, or whole-grain toast. It keeps three days in the fridge and the garlic mellows as it sits.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 80 calories, 3 g protein, 2 g fiber, 25 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
