This is a great addition to a summer tapas or antipasto spread. It combines fresh, sauteed zucchini with a bright vinaigrette made with fresh mint. Spread it onto toasted focaccia, perhaps with some roasted garlic. Or, use it as a side dish for a meaty entree.

This is a way to use the mint vinaigrette from Mediterranean Fresh: A Compendium of One-Plate Salad Meals and Mix-And-Match Dressings by Joyce Goldstein. Her version calls for the garlic to be added raw after cooking the zucchini, which I questioned mid-recipe and decided to toss some of my garlic into the pan with the zucchini. These got a little too toasted, and you might be able to tell from the photo above that I have a mix of raw and overcooked garlic. So, I’ve updated the version below to suggest cooking the garlic separately.

4-6 small zucchini (~1.5 lbs.)
sea salt
3-4 tbsp. olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 c. mint vinaigrette (or swap in another vinaigrette or yogurt dressing)

Cut the zucchini crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices, or cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices. Sprinkle with salt and let stand in a colander for 30 minutes to drain off any bitter juices. Rinse and pat dry.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add enough zucchini to fill the pan without overlapping pieces and cook, turning as needed, until golden on both sides (~4-5 minutes). Repeat with the rest of the zucchini slices.

Transfer to a shallow serving dish.

Add the garlic to the pan and cook until it turns a faint golden color, maybe 30 seconds or so — don’t let it get too brown. Sprinkle onto the zucchini and add the vinaigrette.

Let it rest at room temperature for 1-2 hours, basting the zucchini occasionally with the dressing as it pools on the bottom. Serve at room temperature.