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Made with homegrown goodness


Zucchini Bread, made with a recipe from The Culinary Institute of America, gets extra flavor from the orange zest added to the batter. 
 (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
The Culinary Institute of America

One of summer’s favorite vegetables is also the ingredient of a delicious quick-bread recipe from The Culinary Institute of America: zucchini bread.

Zucchini’s green, plump, homegrown goodness is an ideal baking ingredient, providing color, moisture and nutrition. Zucchini bread is commonly served as a breakfast pastry or as a simple dessert, but it also makes a scrumptious snack when paired with a glass of cold milk.

Although creating quick breads doesn’t require a degree in baking, there are guidelines that can help bring about a successful result. An important but often overlooked factor is the importance of sifting dry ingredients together to remove lumps and to blend them evenly. Sifting helps to ensure a fully combined batter with minimal mixing time.

Also, all ingredients should be at room temperature before they are added. Ingredients that are too cold may cause the batter to separate or curdle. If the batter should separate, just go on mixing until it becomes smooth again.

Before you begin mixing, toast the nuts. Toasting nuts intensifies their natural flavor and enhances the finished product. For a small quantity of nuts, such as the amount in the following recipe, preheat a dry skillet over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, scatter the nuts in a single layer without crowding them. Gently swirl the pan or stir the nuts frequently to allow for even toasting.

For larger quantities, spread the nuts on an ungreased baking sheet and toast them in a 325 degree oven until golden brown and fragrant, stirring occasionally. The process takes about 7 to 15 minutes depending on the size of the nut. Immediately transfer toasted nuts to a cool container. This keeps them from continuing to brown. Toasting nuts before chopping them produces the best results.

The CIA’s Zucchini Bread is made extra flavorful with the addition of grated orange zest. When selecting citrus fruits for their zest, choose those with firm skins, and if possible buy the organic variety to avoid pesticides. Thoroughly scrub the fruit under hot water with a stiff brush before beginning.

Depending on how the zest will be used, remove it in either wide pieces, thin strips, or fine gratings. For this recipe, finely grate the zest using a grater with very small holes, rotating the orange frequently as you grate. Avoid cutting into the bitter, white pith.

To further enhance the appearance and flavor, chef Marc Haymon, lecturing instructor in baking and pastry at The Culinary Institute of America, recommends topping the zucchini bread with sunflower seeds before baking.

This recipe is from The Culinary Institute of America’s new cookbook, “Baking at Home With The Culinary Institute of America,” which will be available in fall 2004.

Zucchini Bread

Cooking spray for greasing pans

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour ,plus extra for dusting

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

2 1/2 cups grated unpeeled zucchini

1 cup sugar

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons grated orange zest

1 cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts or pecans

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8 1/2 -inch loaf pans. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves into a bowl and set aside. Combine the zucchini, sugar, eggs, oil and orange zest in a large bowl and mix by hand until evenly blended. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the zucchini mixture. Stir by hand just until the batter is evenly moistened and blended. Fold in the nuts. Divide the batter between the prepared loaf pans. Bake until the edges are browned and starting to pull away from the pan and the bread springs back when lightly pressed with your fingertip, 50 to 55 minutes. Remove the loaves from the pans and let cool on wire racks before serving.

Yield: 2 loaves.

Nutrition information per 3 1/2 -ounce serving: 280 calories, 13 grams fat (42 percent fat calories), 7 grams protein, 35 grams carbohydrate, 60 milligrams sodium.