Zucchini Rolls with Goat Cheese and Kalamata Olives in Celebration of Food Day Canada 2010

My two beautiful zucchinis from my Roots and Shoots Farm CSA basket this week became our appetizer for our Food Day Canada 2010 celebration.

I have had a similar delight a number of years ago from the The Fine Cooking Magazine July 2002 Issue #51, Page 55 called Grilled Zucchini & Goat Cheese Roll-ups. When I recently came across an adaption of this recipe on the blog site of Dara Michalski (a Canadian living in Utah), whose blog is Cookin' Canuck, I knew exactly where my zucchini's were headed. Dara's Fine Cooking adaptation is called Grilled Zucchini Rolls with Herbed Goat Cheese & Kalamata Olives.

Thank you Dara from bringing back an old favourite for me and giving my summer squash purpose for Food Day Canada 2010! I followed her recipe but used plain goat cheese instead of herbed since that is what I had on hand.





GRILLED ZUCCHINI ROLLS WITH GOAT CHEESE & KALAMATA OLIVES
Adapted from Dara Michalski, whose blog is Cookin' Canuck, and she adapted from a Fine Cooking Magazine recipe

2 zucchinis, one green and one yellow
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 1/2 oz. goat cheese
1 1/2 oz. (about 7 or 8) kalamata olives, finely chopped

Preheat grill to high heat.

Slice a strip lengthwise from the zucchini to expose the inside of the vegetable. Cut the 2 ends from the zucchini to make straight edges. Cut the zucchini lengthwise into 1/4-inch strips. You should get about 7 slices per zucchini. I use a mandolin to make the slices.

Brush both sides of the zucchini pieces liberally with olive oil. Season well with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Lay the zucchini pieces on the grill at a 45-degree angle (for more attractive grill marks). Cook until the zucchini is very tender, but not mushy, about 3 minutes per side, moving the pieces during cooking to ensure even browning.

Remove zucchini from the grill. Set a wire cooling rack on top of a bowl to give the cooling rack extra clearance from the counter. Drape the zucchini pieces on the rack to cool. This method will stop the zucchini from steaming will cooling.

Place goat cheese in a medium bowl. Stir olives into the goat cheese.

Spread a layer of the goat cheese mixture onto one side of each zucchini piece. Gently roll each piece of zucchini. Serve.

I was able to get 15 rolls from my two zucchinis.