With kids at home and everyone preoccupied with exciting summer vacation plans, June’s 5 Star Makeover was extended to June/July 5 Star Makeover. Thank you to our benevolent leaders, Natasha and Lazaro, because there was a lot of stuff that went down in my humble abode in the past two months, unfortunately none of it involved a vacation. The theme was befitting of the season: a farmers’ market challenge to create a dish with ingredients purchased from a farmer’s market and, even though there’s a plethora of courgette (the French word for zucchini – sounds more gourmet, yes?) recipes out in the blogosphere right now, I was compelled to use that which is abundant in my garden (you can’t more locavore than that) along with peppers, nuts, and cheese from the farmer’s market.
A tian is a typical hearty Provençal vegetable dish which is baked in an earthenware casserole called a tian, it can be served hot or cold – making it an ideal picnic or backyard party dish. Rather than a standard baking dish, I decided to use two small baking/serving dishes for individual servings and my daughter and I enjoyed a lovely poolside lunch. I hope that this sensationally simple tian with the freshness of summer squash, roasted peppers, and essence of mint will please your palate. A lemon and pistachio gremolata adds a bright and delightful crunch.
Courgette and Mint Tian with Lemon and Pistachio Gremolata
Ingredients:
2 medium sized zucchini, thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, roasted
1 red bell pepper, roasted
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 sweet onion, sliced
sprinkle of red chili pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil*
1 tablespoon fresh mint, finely chopped
Gremolata:
2 tablespoons roasted pistachios, chopped
zest of 1 lemon
Garnish: shaved manchego and courgette blossom
Yield: 2 -4 servings
1. Cut pepper in half, remove seeds and core. Roast in toaster oven on 450 degrees until skin is brown and blistered. Remove and place in a paper bag or baggie to cool. Remove skin and cut lengthwise into 6 ¾ inch strips.
2. While peppers are roasting, heat butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and chili flakes, saute, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Add garlic and mint and cook for another minute. Remove from heat.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Thinly coat individual 3-4″ baking ramekins with butter. Line sides of baking dish with peppers. Line bottom with overlapping zucchini slices, spread with a tablespoon of the onion mixture. Repeat with another layer of zucchini and onion mixture. End with a third layer of zucchini. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with a bit of grated manchego cheese. Bake for 35-40 minutes.
4. Combine chopped pistachios and lemon for gremolata. Serve warm or at room temperature sprinkled with gremolata. Garnish with shaved manchego and courgette blossom.
*I used a Meyer Lemon olive oil from Gianni’s Fine Foods, but extra virgin olive oil is fine.
Enjoy 
With this tian I declare Zucchini season officially closed. I experienced an “ah ha” moment reading a gardening article lamenting about people who complain of a glut of zucchini when all they have to do is harvest the delicate blossoms and enjoy them in their own right. Duh! So, that’s exactly what we did on Saturday. Alongside this lovely tian, we savored crisp, lightly battered zucchini blossoms, and I smiled inside
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Beautiful Priscilla – the perfect summer side dish and a perfect potluck one as well!!
Hope you are enjoying your time with your daughter!!!
I remember the first tian I had in France… tasted like summer. Love the addition of the zucchini flower and pistachios… really takes a great recipe over the top!
Beautiful dish. Love the combination of flavors. Mint, pistachios, manchego cheese, and red pepper flake.
Great balance. Lovely photos as well.
This is such an elegant use of zucchini! This time of year zucchini dishes are always welcome…can’t wait to try this one!
Your tian sounds terrific, I love the mint and also pistachio gremolata topping, nice.
That is a beautiful dish especially with the added vibrant color of the zucchini blossoms. Perfect summer dish! Thank you for sharing the recipe.
ray
Thanks for the lovely recipe, I do have an abundance of zucchini at the moment!
Lovely tian! Zucchini is one of my favorite summer veggies, and you’re right, courgettes sounds way more sophisticated, haha. I also love the gorgeous photos of the zucchini blossoms, some of my favorites too!
Beautiful dish! It really is so summery and I love the pistachio gremolata on top. And thanks for teaching me that the French call zucchini courgettes. Whenever I want to feel more fancy, I am totally going to use it.
Hi Priscilla – great contribution to this month’s cooking club! It all sounds delicious and summery, especially that gremolata!
LL
oh no, don’t close the zucchini season, i love all your recipes.
this tian sounds so good, love the lemon and Pistachio gremolata, and those blossoms and tomatoes, delish!!!
I haven’t made any Tian before…this looks like a simple and great one to start with.
I’ve never heard of Tian before, it sounds lovely! I love the beautiful photos of those tomatoes and courgettes (: esp the courgette flowers, ah brilliant!
Hi Priscilla, Tian sounds and looks delicious. I am so glad you shared this recipe, I never had it before and I will have to try to make it sometime. Your selection of vegetables were so colorful and delicious. Thanks.
Wow – this looks so pretty! I love zucchini! Never heard of this dish before, but I want to try it soon!
What a beautiful and excitingly flavorful dish! Perfect for the challenge, and so jealous that you found blossoms
Oh goodness, there is a whole lot of yumminess in this dish!!
This recipe sounds incredible! I love all the ingredients and on top looks so beautiful and delicious!!!
I’ve got LOADS of zucchini coming up right now–what a great way to use it.
I can imagine how the different layers combine to make one delicious dish. Simple but delicious. Pistachios and lemon zest at the end is such a wonderful accent.
So elegant! And yes, courgette does sound more gourmet, lol.
Yes, it sounds gourmet! haha. I think zucchini is versatile and affordable which is great for us! Your dish really shine a flavor of zucchini layer after layer with a crunchy on top. Now, I’m curious to try manchego cheese.
Thanks everyone! This challenge was fun and everyone’s contributions used summer’s bounty beautifully
What I love about this is the pistachios. I have everything in kitchen to make this dish for I am inspired. It’s lovely.
A lemon and pistachio gremolata, manchego and mint!??!! make me some! how was the dish cold, though? I’m so curious. I’m weak for warm veggies, not keen of cold, it sure looks great. And by the pool? Super sexy… now go take a real vacay!
@Bren –
I almost changed the “cold” to say room temperature – guess I should have – it’s more accurate. I’m not a fan of cold cooked veggies either, I served the tians at room temperature and they were delicious!
Yay for tians! And yay for courgettes – I hadn’t thought about that word being more gourmet-sounding that zucchini, but now that you mention it…
I’m also loving the gremolata, must try that next time I come across some pistachios.
I love a Tian. I’ve never made one miniature before though. I need to try that. Yours is lovely!