Whipped Feta with Marinated Zucchini and Pine Nut Salad
Chef Amanda Shulman takes inspiration from her mother’s famous pre-dinner cheese boards while adding a seasonal, cheffy spin ; crumbles of fresh feta are blended with yogurt and olive oil to create a smooth and creamy shmear that gets topped with a tangle of marinated zucchini and crunchy pine nuts. The zesty-sweet marinade—made from Dijon mustard, champagne vinegar, and honey—highlights the lush texture and creamy-salty flavor of the feta. “It’s an ideal side salad for lambchops or baked fish,” she says, “or you can make it the main event with grilled chicken skewers nestled on top.”
Whipped Feta Ingredients
- 1 package 6oz Président® Feta Crumbles
- 3 tbsp full fat plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Whipped Feta Instructions
- For the whipped feta, put the cheese, yogurt, and olive oil into a small food processor or blender. Let that thing WORK and blend until smooth—it will get smooth eventually with a little patience and maneuvering. Add a touch of water if it's not coming together. This will be creamy, fresh, perfectly salted, and fantastic.
Zucchini Ingredients
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 4 tbsp champagne vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp canola oil, plus more for the pan
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 zucchini, sliced into ⅓-inch planks lengthwise
- 1/3 cup pitted Medjool dates, chopped finely
- 1 shallot, cut into thin rings
- 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
- 1/2 bunch dill, some chopped finely, some whole for garnish
- 1/2 bunch parsley, some chopped finely, some whole for garnish
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for garnish
Zucchini Instructions
- To make the marinade, whisk your Dijon, champagne vinegar, and honey together in a large mixing bowl. Slowly drizzle in 3 tbsp. of olive oil and 3 tbsp. of canola oil while whisking. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Salt your sliced zucchini about 20 minutes in advance of using them—this will draw out unnecessary liquid and make them firmer. Dab away any water droplets that pool with a paper towel.
- Heat a large cast-iron pan with about 1 tbsp. of canola oil over medium high heat to nearly smoking. Add your zucchini, laying them down in the pan gently, and sear until they are caramelized, very dark and golden. Flip and cook the other side a touch more gently so as to not have mushy zucchini.
- Transfer the zucchini to a paper towel-lined sheet tray until cool enough to handle. Cut into chunks and while warm, toss right into the marinade along with the dates, shallot, half of the pine nuts, and the chopped herbs. Mix to combine and let marinate for 20 minutes before serving.
- To assemble, smear your whipped feta onto the bottom of the bowl or plate. Spoon the zucchini with dressing and goods right on top. Garnish with the remaining pine nuts, whole leaf herbs, a drizzle of olive oil, and a crack of black pepper.
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