Let not the diligence of the gardener be judged by their zucchini. They may tend to their plants every day, patiently weeding and watering, maybe even singing to them. No matter the level of care, there is without fail, in every garden, a lurking giant hiding under the leaves waiting to scare the bejeesus out of you when it reaches two feet long and you finally spot it. Grumbling and only partially pleased that your soil is SO fertile to grow such a thing (though I swear they would do just as well in a dusty ditch by the side of the road), all you can say is, "What the hell am I supposed to do with all this squash?"
Now it's time to introduce you to my favorite trick, which I did once by accident and have since learned is a very Italian way of preparing vegetables - cook them to within an inch of their lives. It sounds like the opposite of everything we have ever been told, but I'm here to tell you it is worth trying something different. With enough patience the zucchini morphs from predictable green vegetable into an incredibly silky and luscious heartthrob. It is unreal. A little pop from the pine nuts and a shave of parm is all that you need to finish.
Remember not to be afraid. You are pushing the cook time way beyond what might feel comfortable but hush that little voice in your head and just keep cooking baby. To make a fantastic all vegetable meal out of this combine with Roasted Beets with Chimichurri and Braised Chard. Cooking zucchini, or any summer squash, this way has resulted in four people easily eating 5 large zucchinis and wanting more. I know it sounds too good to be true...
Find the recipe here: Slow Cooked Zucchini