Zucchini Parmesan Crisps

My wife used to be a vegetarian. She still has some aversions to meat, and sometimes I give in to a vegetarian dinner.  In fact, I have spoken before about backing Mario Botali's "Meatless Mondays" campaign in an effort to improve our health, and temper the amount of meat consumption in the US.

This meal was actually really satisfying. I told her that about 2-3 times last night.  We went down to the Iowa City Farmer's Market this weekend and picked up some great zucchini and tomatoes. And a young woman stopped by my office on Friday selling fresh-picked Iowa sweet corn. So we came up with a good dinner using these wonderful fresh ingredients.

Peal & shuck the corn (outside -- so you don't make a mess). Removing all the little hairs.

And this technique I have to give my wife 100% credit for: wrap them in wax paper and put them in the microwave for about 5-6 minutes.

I always used to boil corn on the cob. But this technique is a lot simpler and just as effective. The corn steams in its own moisture and comes out great, without boiling a bunch of water each time.

Then she sliced a fresh zucchini using a mandolin to get thin, evenly sliced, rounds for baking. I used to refuse to use a mandolin because I wanted to get better with a chef's knife. But there is no denying the effectiveness of this tool.

Create a mixture of Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs in a shallow bowl or plate. Season with a little pepper, but avoid using too much salt because the cheese is already salty.

Then pour some olive oil into another bowl. Dredge the zucchini in the oil to coat, then press both sides into your breading mixture to be sure it adheres. Place them on a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.

Bake for about 20-25 minutes at 450-degrees, watching carefully so they don't burn. Then dry on a paper towel. With the olive oil and cheese/breading, these almost oven-fry themselves. They were bubbling and steaming away in the oven. And the house smelled wonderful, let me tell you.

The zucchini was crisp & crunchy, with a really rich salty breading. I just love Parmesan cheese -- and it really made the veggies delicious. That tomato was crazy-bright red, and super sweet and flavorful. I actually made little open-face sandwiches with a fresh baked French bread, tomato, and zucchini slices. But each of those things were fantastic on their own.