Zucchini with Basil and Goat Cheese on Toast

Few things say comfort like a slice of good bread, toasted or grilled to crispy perfection and slathered with a scrumptious topping. In this Nigel Slater recipe that topping is paper-thin slices of zucchini sautéed in a bit of olive oil and dressed with a mix of lemon, basil olive oil and goat cheese. A plate of late-summer heaven. 
 

Nigel says, "When I have the zucchini out, a quick recipe from the archive that I have been meaning to give a more permanent home for a while now. A good kitchen snack for when you are hungry but don't need a full meal." 

Zucchini with Basil and Goat Cheese on Toast
Adapted from Notes From the Larder
(Enough for 2)

a lemon
basil leaves: 8 large
olive oil 4 Tbsp + a little for frying (I used 2 Tbsp + a bit more)
a small goat cheese
zucchini: 9 oz / 250 g
good white bread: 4 thick slices

Grate the zest from half the lemon into a bowl with a fine grater, then add the juice. Finely shred the basil leaves and drop them in with the lemon, then pour in the olive oil. Add a little salt. Crumble in the goat cheese and stir very gently. 

Rinse the zucchini and dry them. Using a vegetable peeler, slice them very thinly all the way down from one end to the other. Warm a little oil in a trying pan, add the zucchini, and cook until golden. Drop them into the dressing and toss gently.

Make toast with the slices of bread, then pile on the zucchini and their dressing.  

Notes/Results: There isn't anything I didn't like about this dish. Crispy bread (I grilled mine rather than toasting), and that topping--creamy, tangy with a touch of sweetness from the zucchini. Just... YUM! I love how the hot zucchini melted the goat cheese into the dressing. I did reduce the olive oil by about half, no sense in being crazy. I also zested my whole lemon and sprinkled part of it on top of the finished toasts--along with a bit of extra basil and goat cheese crumbles. I would recommend at least a zucchini-and-a-half, if not two zucchinis, for two people in order to get a good 'piling' on the bread. (Or maybe I needed smaller toasts as my large zucchini just covered 2 slices once it was cooked down.) ;-) In any case, the extra will be welcome. I thought this made a fabulous light dinner with a glass of crisp white wine. I will definitely make it again. 

We are going full-speed, Bread Ahead! at I Heart Cooking Clubs this week with recipes featuring bread or other yeasty treats. You can see what everyone makes by checking out the picture links on the post.