Simple to prepare, roast zucchini is a crowd pleaser. The addition of mint adds a fresh herbal quality making it suitable as a warm weather side dish. In cool weather you could add garlic during roasting and sprinkle with parsley at the end.
serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 pound baby zucchini (6 to 8‑inches) cut in quarters lengthwise
- ¼ cup olive oil
- salt and pepper, as needed
- ¼ cup mint leaves, chopped
Directions
With the rack set to the top level, Preheat oven to 450°F. Lay the zucchini spears into a shallow roasting pan, all aligned in the same direction. Drizzle with oil, season wit salt and pepper to taste. Gently rolling the spears over each other to get them well coated. Place the pan in the heated oven on the top rack. Roast for 6 minutes, until just beginning to brown. It may need an additional 2 or 3 minutes. Once it begins to brown, remove from oven and transfer to a serving plate. Sprinkle with chopped mint and additional salt and pepper to taste if necessary.
Lovely post Jean — it’s so great to read everyone’s memories here on Greg’s blog 🙂
Thank you so much for the lovely words, friends. It was fun to share these memories that, I admit, had been stored away for far too long.
Greg, thanks also for your generosity in words and again, for allowing me to do this. Continued safe (and fun) travels in Norway!
What a lovely summer dessert! I have never tried Maja Blanca, but I’m so curios to try this delicious recipe. Great guest post Greg! I’m new to your site, so I’m going to take a look around on your blog. 🙂 Great job to both of you!
Although traveling to exotic locations is wonderful, there is something to be said for simple days, spent in our own backyards with family and friends. This is a wonderful post of your childhood memories, Jean.
I love Jean’s post on Maja Blanca! And the fact that it brings back childhood memories from the Philippines is even more lovely.I grew up in the Philippines and a thousand memories come to mind with thoughts of summer. Thanks for sharing this one.
I have a cousin named Maja and I love her dearly. Your Maja Blanca sounds divine in its simplicity and I am eager to try it. My sister travels to the Philippines all the time for scuba diving, and she tortures me with stories and photos of food.
When we are children, simple vacations can be the best and most memorable, as long as there are a lot of people around and no talk of school:) Piles of food tended by nurturing relatives do not hurt, either:)
I loved your summer memories. When I read about someone’s childhood, it makes the adult become more alive and closer.
Great post, Jean, as usual!
Jean, this is lovely guest post — your description of the summertime foods you enjoyed as a child in the Philippines are so vivid. Thanks for sharing your mom’s recipe for maja blanca — the creamy pudding with toasted coconut and corn sound amazing.
Interesting post; I had no idea this was a dish enjoyed in the Philippines; will take note as I have a lot of Filippino friends and acquaintances in Lebanon and we’ll make this there next time!
were the rule for me too. I don’t remember or I did not have fancy holiday vacations or activities. But like you I remember hanging out with my family and…with food! Ohh fresh produce from our garden.…Something I don’t have anymore and I miss. I have never had maja blanca jean but it looks like the kind of treat that I would love!
Great post! A big hug to both of you guys!
Greg: i am loving each one of these sweet summer mementos. Your introductions are wonderful and say a lot about both your chosen writer as well as of your big heart.
Jean: this sounds like the perfect summer… Who needs Paris ot the Caribbean when you have familiar surroundings, people you love to spend all day with, and fabulous food to be engraved in your brain RAM? loved this.
YAY for summer and summer memories.
Thanks for the introduction to maja blanca.
LL
A lovely memory, beautifully told, and an interesting dessert. Greg made a good pick to guest post.
Loved reading these memories of the Philippines! I love maja blanca too!
I agree with Greg! Jean can write, cook, and photograph her creations beautifully! Thanks for sharing a glimpse of summertime in the Philippines. Yes, food tastes better on banana leaves!
Greg, what a phenomenal idea for the summer posts. And to Jean, this sounds absolutely delicious. I am adding to my list of summer recipes to try. I can’t wait to get started on it.
The first time I had Maja Blanca I thought that was it for me… I loved it so much that I stopped caring about ice creams and yogurts…it was Maja Blanca only for months and months! 🙂 Thank you for sharing Jean!!
I am loving this summer series as you enjoy your Scandinavian adventures, Greg! Jean’s post hits close to home — though we grew up an ocean apart, our family and food memories are closer than you would imagine. And when I visited the Philippines as a child, my fondest memories there are of the summer house pool and the spread of food next to it. Maja blanca was one of my mom’s favorite desserts!
Great guest post! I have been a fan of Jean’s blog for sometime along with yours. The fact that you joined together to create a united post is just wonderful. Jean — love the recipe, the writing and the photos and especially the story behind the post. Just wish I had a dish of this divine delight in front of me right now. 🙂