Zucchini Ribbons with Goat Cheese and Infused Herb & Chilli Oil

Ingredients

Zucchini (2-3 per person…they shrink)

1 onion caramelised with a pinch of brown sugar (offset the bitterness of the zucchinis)

Fresh basil and Italian parsley

Sliced sun-dried tomatoes

Crumbled up goat cheese

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp Chilli flakes

1 tsp Cumin

Coarse salt & pepper

Olive oil infused with thyme, garlic and dried chilli

Preparation

Peeling the Zucchinis: I used a regular potato peeler to make the zucchini ribbons (of course, other tools can be used to make zucchini noodles “zoodles” rather than ribbons). Since zucchinis release a lot of water while cooking, make sure to peel until you see the seeds starting to surface – we don’t want the core because the have higher water content compared to the rest of the vegetable. This is the most time-consuming step, but I assure you that the rest is just a matter of putting everything into one pan!

Cooking the Zucchinis: I grilled about half the amount of zucchini ribbons to get those nice lines on the vegetable (this is optional). It adds a smokey flavor to the dish and also makes it look nicer! After they’re cooked, set them aside. While doing that, I caramelised the diced shallots and onions in another pan and added a bit of brown sugar along with the chilli-infused oil. Add the uncooked zucchini along with the herbs and spices, using tongs to carefully stir without breaking the ribbons.

Topping it off: Finally, garnish the dish with sun-dried tomatoes and crumbled goat cheese.