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Recipe: Shaved Zucchini and Feta Salad with Maple Bacon Dressing

Since it’s late August already, if you don’t have an abundance of zucchini squashes ripening in your backyard garden, all signs are pointing to your lack of a green thumb. Jokes aside, you can’t wait into a decent quality grocery store or farmers’ market these days without finding a delicious, ripe and ready (and affordable) squash to take home and cook.

Here’s one great (and summery) way involving bacon to deal with a few of the summer squashes you have laying around the house.

What you’ll need…

Salad:

2 medium green zucchini (very thinly sliced)

1 medium yellow zucchini (very thinly sliced)

1 small hot pepper (thinly sliced or diced)

1/3 cup crumbled feta

2 tablespoons feta brine

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon chili flakes

Warm maple bacon vinaigrette:

6 strips thick-cut bacon (diced)

1/4 cup good quality maple syrup

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 teaspoons dijon mustard

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Directions:

Salad:

Place all ingredients in a medium bowl and toss gently with hands to combine. Set aside until vinaigrette is prepared.

Warm maple bacon vinaigrette:

Heat a medium pan on medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until well-browned and slightly crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for several minutes.

Transfer content of pan (including bacon fat) and remaining ingredients to a food processor or blender. Pulse several times  until bacon is minced. Pour back into pan and continue to cook for 5 minutes on medium heat until mixture thickens slightly. Reduce to low heat and keep warm on stove until ready to serve.

To serve, place zucchini mixture onto a serving platter and drizzle warm maple bacon vinaigrette over top and enjoy!

Serves 4-5

Total prep and cook time…30 minutes