Roasted Zucchini ‘Tartar’ With Leek Buttered Crostini

Dan    Appetizers & Co., Vegan     appetizer, recipes, squash, summer, unique, vegan, vegetarian

What you’ll need…

Tartar:

2 zucchini (ends trimmed, quartered)

1 1/2 cups soft tofu

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

2 cloves garlic

2 TBSP lemon juice

1 TBSP dijon mustard

2 TSP horse radish

1 shallot (minced)

1/4 cup capers (finely chopped)

1/4 cup gerkins (finely chopped)

salt and pepper

Crostini:

1 yellow onion

2 cloves garlic

2 leeks

2 TBSP margarine

2 TSP dried basil

salt and pepper

olive oil

1 baguette (sliced, 1/2″ pieces)

Don’t you wish you could whip up a vegan appetizer that wasn’t just an…umm…just a vegetable tray? Well, now you can. This dish is easier than a six piece Bob The Builder puzzle to put together, and even easier to impress with. Carnivorous cravings aside, only a cold-hearted, meat-loving T-Rex would not admit to loving this one. And, if you do, in fact, have a T-Rex over for dinner I both fear for you and am impressed with your ability to bring dinosaurs back from the dead…

Start off by preheating your oven to 425 degrees. Place the zucchini pieces in a medium-sized bowl, add some olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper, then toss until coated. Place on a prepared baking tray and roast in the oven for 20 minutes, uncovered, turning once or twice. In the meantime, combine the soft tofu, olive oil, vinegar, garlic, lemon juice, mustard, and horse radish in a blender. Blend until smooth and set aside.

Once the 20 minutes are up, pull the zucchini out of the oven and let cool. When the squash is cool enough to handle, chop into tiny cubes, 1/4″ or so. In a a medium-sized bowl, mix together the chopped zucchini, tofu mixture, shallot, capers, and gerkins. Stir until evenly combined. Salt and pepper to taste, then place in the refrigerator to chill. (note: can be made a day in advance!)

Now for the crostini…Preheat your oven to 425 degrees (disregard if you have just made the zucchini portion, then just leave the oven on!) Place the onion and garlic into a large pan. Drizzle with some olive oil, add some salt and pepper, then cook down on medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Once the onions soften, add-in the leeks, and continue to let cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Next, add the margarine and basil to the pan. Stir until the margarine has melted and everything is evenly combined. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Place contents of pan into a blender and puree until smooth. Set aside until you’re ready to butter the crostini.

Pop the baguette pieces onto a large baking sheet, brush the tops with some olive oil and bake until they start to turn golden brown, about 10-12 minutes. Serve them warm with a generous slathering of the leek butter, then top with some of the chilled zucchini ‘tartar’ or just serve it on the side.

What do you think, T-Rex?

Serves 4

Total cook time…1 hour (not including ‘tartar’ chill time)

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