This recipe is edible art!! One of my fellow bloggers, Meg Zimbeck (a.k.a. Salad Eater), blogging from Paris, made this recipe, which turned out stunning. Click here to read what she has to say about the zucchini carpaccio and for the recipe.
Hillary from MarcheDimanche made the same salad, but with a very different visual result. Also, she added a savory cannele to the dish- BONUS. Once again, Hillary creates an artisinal Salad as a Meal. I will not be making this recipe during the challenge, but sure will give it a try later this summer when the garden produces more zucchini than we know what to do with!

Zucchini Carpaccio with Avocado, Pistachios & Pistachio Oil

Neither my students nor I ever tire of this salad. It has all the qualities one looks for in a dish: crunch, smoothness, color, aroma. Serve it with Crispy Flatbread (page 260), Tortilla Chips (page 263), or toasted bread for added crunch. Don’t omit the fresh thyme here, for it plays an essential role in the color and aroma.

4 SERVINGS

EQUIPMENT: A SMALL JAR WITH A LID; A MANDOLINE OR A VERY SHARP CHEF’S KNIFE.

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon Lemon Zest Salt (page 306)

3 tablespoons best-quality pistachio oil (such as Leblanc) or extra-virgin olive oil

4 small, fresh zucchini (about 4 ounces each), rinsed and trimmed at both ends

1 large ripe avocado

1/2 cup salted pistachios

4 fresh lemon thyme sprigs, with flowers if possible

Fleur de sel

1. In the jar, combine the lemon juice and flavored salt. Cover with the lid and shake to blend. Add the oil and shake to blend.

2. With the mandoline or chef’s knife, slice the zucchini lengthwise as thin as possible. Arrange the slices on a platter and pour the dressing over them. Tilt the platter back and forth to coat the slices evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes, so the zucchini absorbs the dressing and does not dry out.

3. Halve, pit, and peel the avocado, and cut it lengthwise into very thin slices. Carefully arrange the slices of marinated zucchini on individual salad plates, alternating with the avocado slices, slightly overlapping them. Sprinkle with the pistachio nuts. Garnish with the thyme sprigs and flowers and fleur de sel. Serve.

WINE SUGGESTION: Favorite wine partners for avocado include a young Pinot Grigio, a crisp-style Chardonnay, and a fragrant, well-chilled Sauvignon Blanc.

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