So, how many zucchini breads have you made lately?  Too many? If you don't know what to do with all that zucchini that's coming out of your garden right now, how about zucchini + chocolate?  Great combination, really.  This cake uses quite a bit of grated zucchini, which keeps it moist and absolutely delicious, but you can't really tell there is zucchini in the cake.  Ask my kids. 

Before I get on with the cake, I wanted to thank Saveur for the nice surprise this past week in being featured on Saveur's "Best of the Web".  They featured my post on Marcella Hazan's Roman Style Artichokes.  If you are not a regular reader of the magazine, check out their web site.  It's very good and has all kinds of great content.  

As for the cake, I've made this a couple of times in the past two weeks because our friend, Brian, dropped off more tomatoes and zucchini from his garden. I made Sicilian Estratto (tomato paste) again from the tomatoes, like I did last year and then I made this chocolate zucchini cake from one of the large zucchini that he gave us.

And then, just to make you smile, look who I am babysitting this weekend.  Bet you can't look at her and not smile.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

adapted from Saveur

serves 8-10

for a printable recipe, click here

2 medium zucchini, trimmed and grated (I grated mine on the medium holes of a box grater)
9 tablespoons of unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
2-3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa, sifted
1-1/4 teaspoon baking soda 
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk *
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

*if you don't have buttermilk on hand, which I frequently do not, simply add 1/2 tablespoon vinegar to 1/2 cup milk (whole or lowfat) and let sit for 15 minutes. Works.

Working in batches, put a small mound of the grated zucchini in center of a large square of double-layer cheesecloth (I used a thin tea towel).  Gather corners together and squeeze out as much water as possible from the zucchini.  Transfer zucchini to a bowl and set aside.  (I had about 2 cups of this squeezed zucchini. Do not obsess about the amount, though.  This is a very forgiving recipe when it comes to the amount of zucchini.)

squeezing out the liquid from the grated zucchini

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.  Butter a deep 9" cake pan with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Sift flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt together into a mixing bowl and set aside.

Beat together the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, 3-4 minutes.  Add oil, beating well. Beat in one egg at a time, add vanilla, reduce speed to low and beat in flour mixture and buttermilk in 3 alternative batches.  Stir in reserved zucchini.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes (Start checking after 1 hour - baking time could be faster.)  Remove from oven and set aside to cool for 15 minutes.  Invert onto a rack to cook completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

A few people have asked me why I haven't been posting every week this summer. Well, to be truthful - I've been busy enjoying summer.  As Brian says, "life's short and the clock's running".  There's been a lot to do around here, we've had lots of company and I've been trying to keep up with my garden:

And probably doing a little too much of this:

 
Well, actually, I don't think you can do too much of that. 

I did want to give you an update on my fig tree status.  Back in April, I showed you my little fig trees that I ordered.  They are the Chicago Hardy and I am attempting to grown them here in Michigan.  I know people who have been successful with this variety in colder climates.  Here are pictures of what they looked like in April and one of them this week:

 I think it likes it here, don't you?  Maybe I will actually get some figs next year.  I'll keep you updated.

One of the great things, of course, about summer is all the great fresh produce. We are lucky enough to have a family who grows terrific sweet corn right across the road from our subdivision.  I wanted to share this really great recipe from Andrew Carmellini, the great mind behind Locanda Verde in NYC and the author of one of my favorite cookbooks, Urban Italian.  I absolutely love his cooking style and this recipe is terrific.  The combination of really fresh, sweet corn and the banana pepper and pine nuts is really different but is just right.  Give it a try.  It's simple to make and a perfect side dish for some grilled meat.  It cooks up in less than ten minutes.

Spicy Corn with Hot Banana Pepper and Pine Nuts

from Urban Italian by Andrew Carmellini

for a printer friendly recipe, click here

serves 4-6

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 small onion, diced, about 3/4 cup (I used red onion)
1 hot banana pepper, sliced (about 1/4 cup)
6 ears of corn, cleaned and kernels sliced off the cob (about 5 cups)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup pine nuts, roughly chiopped
1/4 cup chopped basil
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Heat the olive oil and the butter together in a large saute pan.  Add the onion and cook until soft, 1-2 minutes. Add the banana pepper and cook for 1 minute.

Add the fresh corn to the pan and stir.  After 2-3 minutes, add the salt. (Don't put the salt in any earlier: you want tht ecorn to retain its moisture.) Continue cooking until the corn is cooked through and takes on some spice from the peppers, about 5 minutes total.  

Remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle with the pine nuts, basil and parsley. Serve immediately.