Zucchini from flower to stem by Omar Dhiab

6/13/24, 8:30 AM

Omar Dhiab, his restaurant's eponymous chef, shows how to cook zucchini in its entirety and in a variety of ways.

This recipe byOmar Dhiab, chef of the Omar Dhiab restaurant in Paris, is taken from the 2024 edition ofBook 109: The new blood of French gastronomy. Discover the ingredients and preparation steps to make it a breeze.

Serves8
Preparation time: 40 min
Cooking time: 35 min

Ingredients for Omar Dhiab 's zucchini from flower to stem

For the stuffed zucchini flowers

8 zucchini flowers
2 green zucchinis or fiddleheads
1 preserved lemon
30 g pistachios
1 clove garlic
20 g grated Parmesan cheese
Cayenne or Espelette pepper
salt and pepper

For the garnish and sauce

2 zucchini, zephyr or yellow
250 g liquid cream 35% fat
50 g sherry vinegar
50 g pistachios
50 g grape seed oil
½ onion

Steps for Omar Dhiab 's zucchini from flower to stem

Prepare the stuffed zucchini flowers: roast the pistachios for 6 min in the oven at 160°C (th. 5/6). As soon as they have cooled, crush them with a knife.
Cut the zucchinis in half lengthways and coarsely dice. Pan-fry in a drizzle of olive oil with a clove of garlic pricked with the tip of a knife for 2-3 min. Remove from the heat to retain their crunchy texture.
Finely chop the cubes with a knife to make a marmalade, then add the crushed pistachios and chopped preserved lemon. Season with grated Parmesan, salt, pepper and chilli.
Fill the zucchini flowers with the filling using a piping bag. Place them one by one in a steamer basket and cook over simmering water for 5-7 min. Once cooked, set the flowers aside.
Prepare the garnish and sauce: cut the yellow zucchini (or zephir) lengthwise and slice into 3 mm strips using a mandolin. Fry for 2-3 min with a drizzle of olive oil. Keep them crisp, then set aside.
Slice the half onion and sweat in olive oil, then deglaze with vinegar until evaporated.
Add the cream and reduce by a third over low heat.
Roast the pistachios for 6 minutes in the oven at 160°C (th. 5/6) and blend them while hot, gradually incorporating the grapeseed oil. Mix the pistou with the cream to obtain a smooth sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.
To serve: place a zucchini flower at the bottom of the plate. Roll up the zucchini strips and place them upright on either side of the plate. Dot with sauce to finalize the dish.

For furtherinformation, please contact

Omar Dhiab, 23 rue Hérold, 75001 Paris 1
13.5/20 in the Livre des 109
Read Gault&Millau's review of Omar Dhiab

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