Zucchini Spread with Carrots (Zucchini "Caviar")

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   Prep your ingredients. Freshly harvested vegetables are best. If the zucchini is young, leave the skin on; if it's more mature, peel it and scoop out the seeds and core.

2. Step 2:

   

   Wash all the vegetables and herbs. Cut the zucchini into medium dice, the onion small, and the parsley root and garlic very fine. I shred the carrots on a julienne grater, but a regular coarse grater is fine too. Cut this way, the vegetables cook quickly, and chopping (rather than pressing) the garlic keeps it juicy. Finely chop the herbs as well. It's best to do all the chopping up front, since the cooking goes fast.

3. Step 3:

   

   Heat a large skillet, pour in 50 ml (about 3 tablespoons) of the oil, and get it hot enough that it sizzles when a piece of zucchini hits it. Add the zucchini and cook until the liquid evaporates, then continue over medium heat until it turns translucent. Salt it lightly and stir often; don't cover the pan. This takes about 15 to 18 minutes depending on your stove. Watch that it doesn't scorch. Let the cooked zucchini cool right in the pan.

4. Step 4:

   

   Heat a second skillet, pour in the remaining oil, get it hot, and add the onion. Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook the onion until translucent, then add the parsley root and carrots. Cook, stirring, until the carrots soften, then add the tomato paste and, stirring constantly, pour in a couple of tablespoons of water. Salt lightly and warm everything for another minute. The finished mixture should be loose, not thick; let it cool to room temperature. This takes about 10 minutes.

5. Step 5:

   

   Combine the contents of both pans, add the garlic and herbs, and run everything through a meat grinder fitted with a fine plate, or blitz it with an immersion blender. Stir in the sugar, vinegar, and, if needed, a little more salt, and mix well. The spread is ready; cool it and serve.

6. Step 6:

   

   This amount makes one 1-pint (0.5-liter) jar plus a small bowl's worth for about 3 servings. You can can the spread for winter, but the jars need to be processed in boiling water: about 5 to 8 minutes for pint jars, counting from the moment the water returns to a boil. If you have a lot of jars, the oven is handy: heat it to 120°F (50°C), set in the jars of spread with lids resting loosely on top, then turn it up to 250°F (120°C). Once it reaches temperature, process pint jars for 8 to 10 minutes. Seal tightly and turn the jars upside down.

7. Step 7:

   

   Let the jars cool wrapped under a blanket. Store in a cool, dark place or in the refrigerator. The finished spread is appetizing, well-balanced, and just the right consistency.