Recipe

Brined Grilled Zucchini with Mint Salsa Verde

by Sasha Marx

Grilled zucchini often falls victim to both under-seasoning and overcooking. Try to address the former, by cutting the zucchini into thin planks that can be seasoned more thoroughly, you end up exacerbating the latter, as thinner pieces overcook in a flash. To achieve well-seasoned, crisp-tender zucchini, we ditched the planks, halved the zucchini lengthwise, and mixed up a brine. Seriously. Meat normally gets all the brining love, but a 45-minute soak in a saltwater solution produces incredibly well-seasoned zucchini. During brining, salt diffuses from an area of greater salt concentration (our 10-percent-salt brine) to an area of lesser concentration (our soon-to-be-delicious zucchini).
I then quickly grill the zucchini to pick up great char and smoky flavor, without turning it to mush. Once it comes off the grill, I pair the zucchini with a punchy riff on Italian salsa verde, packed with refreshing herbs, garlic and red pepper flakes for heat, and capers and vinegar for an acidic bite.  

Photography by Steve Klise

Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
900 g water
90 g kosher salt
900 g zucchini (3 large zucchini), halved lengthwise
60 g extra-virgin olive oil
40 g white wine vinegar
18 g capers, rinsed and minced
10 g garlic (2 cloves), minced
10 g fresh mint, chopped fine
10 g fresh parsley, chopped fine
2 g red pepper flakes
4 cups water
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 pounds zucchini (3 large zucchini), halved lengthwise
1 cup fresh mint, chopped fine
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped fine
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and minced
2  garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Essential Equipment
Instructions
    • 900 g water
    • 90 g kosher salt
    • 900 g zucchini (3 large zucchini), halved lengthwise
    Whisk water and salt in large bowl until salt is dissolved. Add zucchini to brine and weigh down with plate to keep submerged. Let sit at room temperature for at least 45 minutes or up to 1 hour. Transfer zucchini to paper towel–lined plate and pat dry. Discard brine.
  2. For a Charcoal Grill: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts [2,000 grams]). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.

    For a Gas Grill: Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave all burners on high. 
  3. Clean and oil cooking grate. Place zucchini, cut side down, on grill (directly over coals if using charcoal) and cook until zucchini are well charred on bottom and flesh just begins to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip zucchini and continue to cook until skin side is charred, about 2 minutes longer. (Zucchini should be slightly soft at edges but still firm at centers.) Transfer to serving plate.
    • 60 g extra-virgin olive oil 
    • 40 g white wine vinegar 
    • 18 g capers, rinsed and minced 
    • 10 g garlic (2 cloves), minced 
    • 10 g fresh mint, chopped fine 
    • 10 g fresh parsley, chopped fine 
    • 2 g red pepper flakes 
    Stir together oil, vinegar, capers, garlic, mint, parsley, and pepper flakes in small bowl. Season with salt to taste. Spoon salsa verde over zucchini and serve. 
Instructions
    • 4 cups water
    • ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons kosher salt
    • 2 pounds zucchini (3 large zucchini), halved lengthwise
    Whisk water and salt in large bowl until salt is dissolved. Add zucchini to brine and weigh down with plate to keep submerged. Let sit at room temperature for at least 45 minutes or up to 1 hour. Transfer zucchini to paper towel–lined plate and pat dry. Discard brine.
  2. For a Charcoal Grill: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts [4½ pounds]). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.

    For a Gas Grill: Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave all burners on high. 
  3. Clean and oil cooking grate. Place zucchini, cut side down, on grill (directly over coals if using charcoal) and cook until zucchini are well charred on bottom and flesh just begins to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip zucchini and continue to cook until skin side is charred, about 2 minutes longer. (Zucchini should be slightly soft at edges but still firm at centers.) Transfer to serving plate.
    • 1 cup fresh mint, chopped fine 
    • 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped fine 
    • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil 
    • 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar 
    • 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and minced 
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced 
    • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
    Stir together mint, parsley, oil, vinegar, capers, garlic, and pepper flakes in small bowl. Season with salt to taste. Spoon salsa verde over zucchini and serve. 
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