Beat the Heat
By: Shannon Smith | Category: Restaurants | Issue: August 2020
We’ve arrived at the time of year when everyone complains about the heat and humidity of Oklahoma. When I hear someone say, “Can you believe how hot it is?” I can’t help but chuckle. I’ve lived in Oklahoma my entire life, so how can I be surprised at the sweltering heat we get every single summer? One of my best memories of childhood was going to church camp in July, where we had no electricity in our cabin, and we had to wear long pants the entire week. There were always a couple of kids who had to go home because they were overheated, and we were given salt tablets to help us stay hydrated. The best part of the day was when we got to go swimming, and the best part of the entire week was Sadie Hawkins Night when the girls got to chase the boys. Whomever we caught was our date for dinner.
Now that I’m all grown up, I have other things to look forward to in the summer. I’m usually traveling abroad, but this year is different. My friends around the world keep in touch as we all look forward to meeting again. Since most of us like to cook, we often send each other photos of whatever we’re making. Rachael in England is making elderflower cordial, and Diana in Bali is making fish stew. Inbal in Israel is making chocolate lava cakes I taught her on a Zoom call.
In Italy, my friend Diane makes spaghetti with zucchini and garlic. We made it together many years ago in her apartment in Rome. She used tiny zucchini she bought at the market and sautéed them in garlic and olive oil with a pinch of chile flakes. I’ve never been a huge fan of zucchini, but when we sat down to eat that heaping plate of pasta, I couldn’t believe how delicious such a simple dish could be. I learned an important lesson that day. If you’re using fresh ingredients and really good olive oil, you don’t need to fuss with much more. And it usually takes just minutes to make.
The farmer’s markets are brimming with summer zucchini this month, and I highly recommend trying this recipe. I’ve added a few other ingredients, but you can keep it simple with just zucchini, garlic, and olive oil if you prefer. If you’re still complaining about our Oklahoma heat, remember that we’ll be buttoning our sweaters and wishing we had fresh vegetables from the garden in a few short months. Meanwhile, instead of saying, “Can you believe how hot it is?” say, “Let’s make pasta!”
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Spaghetti with Zucchini Makes 8 servings - This was the first dish I learned to make in Rome with my friend, Diane. She had purchased the smallest zucchini that morning at the Campo de Fiori market, and we sliced them thinly into little “coins” for a simple sauce to blend with spaghetti. We finished the dish with fresh basil picked from a pot sitting in her kitchen window. This dish takes just minutes to make, yet it is light and filling. A perfect summer dish! |
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Ingredients:
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Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add an abundance of salt, then add spaghetti. Stir to prevent sticking. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and stir for thirty seconds. Add zucchini and 1/2 teaspoon of salt, stirring to coat in the oil. Cook for three minutes, then remove from heat. When spaghetti is tender, transfer it to the pan of zucchini, using tongs. Add 1/2 cup of the pasta water and the lemon zest. Stir in basil, parmesan cheese, and butter. Taste to see if more salt is needed. Serve immediately. |
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About Author Shannon Smith
I’m Chef Shannon Smith, creator of chefshannon.com, a website where I share my travel adventures, cooking experiences, jewelry creations, life stories, world travels, recipes, cooking classes, and jewelry art. In the past ten years, I’ve traveled to 52 countries, and I hope to add at least that many more over the next ten years. In every country, I am blessed to meet interesting people, learn new cultures, and try all kinds of delicious food. I take cooking classes, join food tours, meet with chefs, and often dine with people in their homes or restaurant kitchens. I’ve lived in Tulsa for over 30 years, and I love teaching people how to cook, especially dishes learned while traveling around the world. Some of my favorite cuisines are Indian, Moroccan, Turkish, Israeli, and Italian, although Indian is the cuisine that makes me the happiest. I’ve collected numerous recipes and methods for making delicious food, and I share those recipes on beadsandbasil.com. I teach classes several times a month when my travels allow. Those classes are advertised on the website but are almost always filled within hours after posting, so I also occasionally teach cooking classes to private groups. My readers and viewers get to learn about my cooking adventures, utensils and appliances. At last count, I have eight grills, two tagines, 22 knives, and ninety-four thousand serving dishes - at least according to my husband. My refrigerators are filled with nuts, cheese, and dried fruits I’ve brought from other countries. And my spice cabinets contain a menagerie of exotic and odiferous seeds, pods, and dried herbs that I use so many ways. Jewelry art is my other favorite activity. I create jewelry from beads and trinkets collected on my travels, including amber from Russia and Estonia, glass from Murano, Italy, paper beads from Rwanda, and old Yemen prayer capsules from Israel. I have an Indian friend who has some of the most beautiful semi-precious stones that he cuts into beautiful shapes. Several times a year, I attend national bead and jewelry shows where I search for unusual items to complete my creations. Many more adventures are planned for the future, and I’m excited to share them with you in my monthly column in Values Magazine, including recipes, cooking tips, interviews with my favorite Tulsa area chefs, cookbook recommendations, travel stories, my favorite local food trucks, and ways we can give our time and talents to our fantastic community of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Connect with me on Facebook and Instagram at Chef Shannon.
Chef Shannon Smith
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