I don’t understand the vitriol with which people assault innocent zucchini. Maybe it’s just so common to complain about it that its arrival presents us a rare chance to rail against vegetables without feeling guilty.
Yes, it’s prolific and it’s hard to figure out what to do with it all. But it’s so versatile, its flavor so subtle, texture so creamy, its prep so simple, I actually herald its arrival in local vegetable patches (though not my own. I don’t have the space for vining stuff, but I’m happy to partake of the bushels of it provided by my co-worker and favorite vegetable gardener Pat Cuneo).
I made a pureed soup with it for Loaves & Dishes in 2002 that I popped into my head this morning, and now it’s ballooned into a full-blown craving.

ZUCCHINI SOUP
11/2 teaspoons olive oil
11/2 cups chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
9 cups (1-inch) sliced zucchini,(about 21/2 pounds)
5 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground blackpepper
1. Heat oil in a 2-quart stock pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add zucchini, broth, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 25 minutes or until zucchini is very tender. Let stand 5 minutes.
2. Place half of the zucchini mixture in a blender; cover tightly, and process until smooth. Pour pureed zucchini mixture into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining zucchini mixture. Place pureed zucchini mixture in pan. Cook over low heat five minutes or until thoroughly heated. Keep warm.
Makes 10-12 cups
n Per 1 cup: 43 calories, .5 gram fat, 2.7 grams fiber.
– adapted from Cooking Light
UPDATE: Making this the evening of July 18, 2012, I replaced most of the pepper with a teaspoon of Montreal Steak Seasoning.