Pan-Seared Zucchini with Raisin, Caper, and Parsley Sauce and Pine Nuts
By Andrea GearyPublished on June 2, 2025
Time
50 minutes
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Before You Begin
We used Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If using Morton kosher salt, use only 1½ teaspoons. If you don’t have an immersion blender to make the sauce, a personal-size blender or small food processor will work.
Instructions
- Combine raisins, water, and vinegar in 2-cup liquid measuring cup. Microwave until simmering, about 1 minute. Stir well, then set aside to cool.
- Using sharp paring knife, score cut sides of zucchini diagonally, about ¼ inch deep, at ½-inch intervals. Turn zucchini 90 degrees and score again in opposite direction. Place scored zucchini halves close to each other, cut side up, on cutting board. Sprinkle salt evenly over halves. Rub salt into cut sides until mostly dissolved.
- Line large plate with double layer of paper towels. Place zucchini cut side down on paper towels and press gently. Microwave until zucchini has exuded water and is hot to touch, about 3 minutes. Cut each piece in half crosswise.
- Spread oil over surface of cold 12-inch cast-iron skillet. Arrange zucchini cut side down in skillet and press to ensure that cut sides are flush with skillet surface (reserve paper towel–lined plate). Cover skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, rotating skillet one-quarter turn every 2 minutes, until cut sides are deeply browned, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Slide skillet off heat. Uncover and turn zucchini cut side up. Return to medium-high heat and continue to cook, uncovered, until paring knife meets little to no resistance when slipped into center of squash, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Transfer zucchini cut side up to reserved paper towel–lined plate for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add ½ cup parsley, capers, and 1 tablespoon pine nuts to raisin mixture. Using immersion blender in mashing, up-and-down motion, blend to coarse puree. Spread half of parsley sauce over platter. Transfer zucchini cut side up to platter. Drizzle with remaining parsley sauce. Sprinkle with remaining 2 teaspoons parsley and remaining 2 teaspoons pine nuts and serve.
Time
50 minutesYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
For dense, meltingly soft, and dramatically browned zucchini, we started by halving and scoring the cut surfaces of the squashes, rubbing them with salt, and briefly microwaving them. The salt and heat drew moisture from the flesh, and the slits provided escape routes for the water so that the surfaces were primed for browning. Cooking in a well-oiled cast-iron skillet encouraged rich browning; the metal held the heat really well, and the fat facilitated heat transfer between the pan and the food. Covering the skillet for most of the cooking time trapped moist heat that forced air out of the flesh and also dissolved its pectin, rendering the flesh fork-tender. A pureed sauce of raisins, capers, parsley, and pine nuts provided a sweet and sour balance to the lush squash.
Want more? Read the whole storyBefore You Begin
We used Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If using Morton kosher salt, use only 1½ teaspoons. If you don’t have an immersion blender to make the sauce, a personal-size blender or small food processor will work.
Instructions
- Combine raisins, water, and vinegar in 2-cup liquid measuring cup. Microwave until simmering, about 1 minute. Stir well, then set aside to cool.
- Using sharp paring knife, score cut sides of zucchini diagonally, about ¼ inch deep, at ½-inch intervals. Turn zucchini 90 degrees and score again in opposite direction. Place scored zucchini halves close to each other, cut side up, on cutting board. Sprinkle salt evenly over halves. Rub salt into cut sides until mostly dissolved.
- Line large plate with double layer of paper towels. Place zucchini cut side down on paper towels and press gently. Microwave until zucchini has exuded water and is hot to touch, about 3 minutes. Cut each piece in half crosswise.
- Spread oil over surface of cold 12-inch cast-iron skillet. Arrange zucchini cut side down in skillet and press to ensure that cut sides are flush with skillet surface (reserve paper towel–lined plate). Cover skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, rotating skillet one-quarter turn every 2 minutes, until cut sides are deeply browned, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Slide skillet off heat. Uncover and turn zucchini cut side up. Return to medium-high heat and continue to cook, uncovered, until paring knife meets little to no resistance when slipped into center of squash, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Transfer zucchini cut side up to reserved paper towel–lined plate for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add ½ cup parsley, capers, and 1 tablespoon pine nuts to raisin mixture. Using immersion blender in mashing, up-and-down motion, blend to coarse puree. Spread half of parsley sauce over platter. Transfer zucchini cut side up to platter. Drizzle with remaining parsley sauce. Sprinkle with remaining 2 teaspoons parsley and remaining 2 teaspoons pine nuts and serve.
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