Zucchini Crudo

This holiday season we’ve been balancing feasts of gluttony with jaunts to the gym, putting our P90X and Insanity workout videos to good use. This zucchini crudo is light, refreshing, yet tasty and perfect to cleanse the palate and purge the recent heavy indulgences of holiday meals. A crudo is classically an Italian dish of raw fish marinated in olive oil, salt, and citrus juice but in this case, raw vegetables make for a unique substitution.  Marinating raw vegetables in citrus is a great healthy alternative and enhances the natural flavors of the vegetables.  Here we’re using Korean zucchini (ho bak) but you can use any variety or even seedless cucumbers.

Using a mandoline or very sharp knife, carefully slice the zucchini and onions as thinly as possible. Juice  limes/lemons and marinated zucchini and onions in covered mixing bowl for about 1/2 hr in the fridge.

Drain the lime/lemon juice and plate zucchini and onions on serving platter. Scatter fresh herbs and cheese. Drizzle with a good olive oil and season with finishing sea salt or fleur de sel (tip: sprinkle high above the platter, about 2 ft for even spread) to taste.

Serve this in a large platter for a crowd. Simple, refreshing, and a perfect respite for the typical heavy holiday season meals.

Zucchini Crudo

Ingredients:

2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 limes or lemons
sea salt or finishing salt such as fleur de sel
extra virgin olive oil
feta or ricotta cheese
favorite fresh herbs such mints, basil, or shiso coarsely chopped

Directions:

Using a mandoline or very sharp knife, carefully slice the zucchini and onions as thinly as possible. Juice limes/lemons and marinated zucchini and onions in covered mixing bowl for about 1/2 hr in the fridge.

Drain the lime/lemon juice and plate zucchini and onions on serving platter. Scatter fresh herbs and cheese. Drizzle with a good olive oil and season with finishing sea salt or fleur de sel (tip: sprinkle high above the platter, about 2 ft for even spread) to taste.

adapted from Kiss My Spatula