Zucchini en Escabeche is a great alternative to one of my favorite side dishes, Guineos en Escabeche. I have never made zucchini this way until now. Keto has been a game-changer for my husband and me. Since I started keto, I have lost almost 20 pounds in a month and a half, but the road has not been as easy. I have a few favorite foods I can no longer eat or eat with extreme moderation. Green bananas and plantains are some of those foods, and I miss these more than rice and beans, lol. So, I decided to use some of my favorite keto-friendly veggies and adapt them to traditional Puerto Rican recipes.
Table of contents
What is Escabeche
In a way, I am taking some of the same content from my previous post, Guineos en Escabeche, only because the same practices stand. The word ESCABECHE translates to pickled. The process is relatively simple. Onions, peppers, garlic, olives, capers, and peppercorns are lightly sautéd in oil with some lemon or vinegar (I use both lemon and vinegar).
Escabeche is supposed to be eaten cold, but my mom would always serve it hot, which I like. My favorite is you can make anything in escabeche, chicken, fish, even green bananas! In this case, I am taking my own advice when I found out bananas were on the Not Keto List.
Zucchini en Escabeche makes a great substitution for craving the real dish. The pickling of the onions with the lemon or vinegar, plus the olives and capers, make the sauce tart. I think the sweetness of the zucchini helps balance the tartness of the pickling.
What this recipe is not
This is not a traditional combination, but nevertheless quite tasty. I am not pretending to recreate the culinary culture but rather facilitate my desire to eat my traditional food within the parameters of my diet. I am taking the concept of Puerto Rican escabeche and applying it to a different vegetable, making, in turn, a Puerto Rican dish. If you are following a low carb or keto diet, this makes a new and different presentation for zucchini.
What makes this a Keto-Friendly alternative
As much as I love bananas, they are loaded with carbs, not to mention when they are ripe, the carbs are transformed into sugar. Do not get me wrong, I still love all the other health benefits of this berry, but I must limit my carb intake. I will eat green bananas on occasion, and I will count the carbs as my intake for the day since they have a whopping 25g per 100g. On the other hand, Zucchini has about 4g of carbs; it is one of those vegetables that blend well with many applications. It is a refreshing vegetable that can be enjoyed both hot and cold, making this a great keto option for Guineos en Escabeche.
Ingredients
Here is a list of the ingredients you will need to make this dish. For full amounts on the ingredients, please scroll down to the recipe card.
- Zucchini
- Onions
- Garlic
- Pimento Stuffed Olives
- Capers
- Olive Oil
- Lemond Juice or Vinegar
Preparing the Zucchini
Because we use zucchini instead of bananas, the prep is easier. Use about one zucchini per person,
- Cut both ends of the zucchini.
- Make a cut lengthwise, cutting the zucchini into two long pieces.
- At this point, you can either cut the halves into 1-inch pieces or try a slightly more fancy cut:
- Holding the flat side of the zucchini, make a diagonal cut, rendering a piece that would be about 1-inch.
- Turn the hand holding the zucchini towards you at 90º, and make another 1-inch diagonal cut. You should have two skewed pieces.
- Continue in this matter until all the zucchini is diced.
Making Zucchini en Escabeche
- Start making the escabeche sauce in a frying pan, and heat oil. Add one onion and one cubanelle pepper and cook until translucent.
- Add about four garlic cloves, peeled and chopped. Cook until garlic is aromatic and golden in color.
- After this point, the recipe kind of speeds up. We are starting to make the sauce, so add the lemon juice, vinegar, olives, capers, peppercorns, and bay leaves. Let cook for about five minutes until all the flavors are nicely incorporated.
- Toss in the zucchini. Cook until the zucchini is al dente. We do not want the zucchini to mush up, but we want it to cook thoroughly. About five to ten minutes.
- Remember, this is a side dish that can be served cold, so this recipe can be made ahead and be used as a cold salad.
Here are some other recipes this recipe might pair well with
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Zucchini en Escabeche, Pickle Zucchini. Tangy and Refreshing, a New Puerto Rican Favorite
Ingredients
- Four Zucchinis
- Two tablespoons of Olive OIl
- One Onion
- Four cloves of Garlic
- One Cubanelle Pepper
- Twelve Green Manzanillo Olives
- One teaspoon Capers
- Six Peppercorns
- Two tablespoons of Lemon Juice
- Two tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar
- One teaspoon of dried Oregano
- Two Bay Leaves
Instructions
- Cut both ends of the zucchini.
- Cut lengthwise, cutting the zucchini into two long pieces.
At this point, you can either cut the halves into 1-inch pieces or try a slightly more fancy cut:
- Holding the flat side of the zucchini, make a diagonal cut, rendering a piece that would be about 1-inch.
- Turn the hand holding the zucchini towards you at 90º, and make another 1-inch diagonal cut. You should have two skewed pieces.
- Continue in this matter until all the zucchini is diced.
- In a frying pan, heat oil. Add one onion and one cubanelle pepper and cook until translucent.
- Add about four garlic cloves, peeled and chopped. Cook until garlic is aromatic and golden in color.
- After this point, the recipe kind of speeds up. We are making the sauce, so add the lemon juice, vinegar, olives, capers, peppercorns, and bay leaves. Let cook for about five minutes until all the flavors are nicely incorporated.
- Toss in the zucchini. Cook until the zucchini is al dente. We do not want the zucchini to mush up, but we want it to cook thoroughly—about five to ten minutes.
Notes
- I would use one zucchini per person. If you are on a low-carb or keto diet, you are eating little to no carbs, which means that your body lacks fiber. Plus, zucchini is mostly water once cooked, so it is one of those easier to eat.
Comments, questions, or concerns? Leave them below!