Roasted Zucchini and Basil Rosettes by Alexx Stuart

This issue’s recipe is a guest post from restaurant industry veteran, real food champion and possibly the most energetic person I know.

Alexx Stuart has a gastronomic events business, a hospitality and retail training consultancy, as well as being a passionate Real Food and sustainability advocate through her personal blog and Jamie Oliver Food Revolution ambassadorship. She believes that we can shape the world with our shopping baskets and homegrown efforts and that anyone can be an awesome cook. Family girl, speaker, writer and soon to be author, it’s a busy life but she wouldn’t have it any other way!

Serves 4 people as a side dish or 2 for a meal

Ingredients:

• 8 zucchini
• 1 bunch of basil
• Olive oil or coconut oil to drizzle
• 1-2 cloves crushed garlic (Optional. Omit if you’re avoiding FODMAP foods)
• Sea salt to taste (Post baking. If you salt prior, it will draw water out of the zucchini and make them soggy!)

 

Method:

1. Preheat oven at 150C.
2. Take a vegetable peeler and peel strips of the zucchini long ways, so that you have thin, long strips.
3. Do this to all of your zucchini. Reserve the dark green end bits and pop in the freezer for your next bake, veggie mash or soup, as they’re too thick for the effect we’re trying to achieve here.
4. Then roll the ribbons into rosettes and nestle into your baking dish of choice (a small gratin dish about 22cm diameter will work for 6 zucchini).
5. Once you’ve popped them all in, scatter garlic if you’re using it. Then nestle basil leaves in between the rosettes.
6. Drizzle olive or coconut oil generously over the dish and pop into the oven for about 1¼ to 1½ hours.
7. When they’re done, take them out and sprinkle with a little sea salt and you’re ready to enjoy!

Melissa Leong www.fooderati.blogspot.com