Savory buttered oats are topped with an herby zucchini compote and a fresh corn and chili pepper relish. It’s a great vegan and gluten free dish for late summer as we prepare to shift into autumn! If you’d like to head straight to the recipe, scroll to the bottom of the post.
Here we find ourselves at the precipice of the summer season. Some of you may be holding steading, unwilling to make that leap into autumn. While others of you (like me) are willingly leaping and bounding, hoping to land steadily into the next season. These transitional periods are always interesting when it comes to produce because plants don’t pay attention to the arbitrary timelines we create. Instead, they rely on the shifts in temperature and daylight to guide them. And, this is all dependent upon their physical location on our vast planet!
I wanted to share a recipe with you that is a representation of this transitional time. It’s a dish that skirts the line between summer and autumn. There are cozy and nourishing elements that sing of fall (i.e. the oats and zucchini compote) contrasted with a freshness and vibrancy that is still quintessentially summer (i.e. a raw corn and chili pepper relish). This recipe is also my little farewell to summer because on September 1st, I’m allowing my body to begin making the autumnal transition it has so desperately been craving the past couple of weeks! I’ll be welcoming back all of the warming spices, the nourishing roots, the dark leafy greens, and all the cozy vibes.
What is Zucchini Compote?
You might be wondering what the heck zucchini compote is…and I’d love to tell you! I essentially took the idea of a fruit compote but made it savory. Fruit tends to be high in water content so cooking it for a longer period of time into a compote or a jam is what transforms it into something completely different. I decided to experiment with zucchini, something this is also higher in water content, and take it on a savory route. Thus, this zucchini compote was born! It’s a thick zucchini condiment of sorts that takes about 30 minutes or so of cooking time. It’s mostly hands-off though as you occasionally stir it to keep it from burning or caramelizing too deeply.
How do You Make Zucchini Compote?
All you need is zucchini, vegan butter or olive oil, shallot, salt, and dried thyme and/or sage. You’ll mince your shallot and dice your zucchini. The shallot goes into a large skillet (a larger skillet will make the overall cook time shorter than a smaller one). You’ll cook the shallot in vegan butter for a couple of minutes until it’s beginning to turn translucent, then you’ll add your diced zucchini. You want to make sure the zucchini is diced rather than roughly chopped because smaller pieces makes it easier for the zucchini to release water and cook down evenly. You’ll also add dried thyme and/or sage with the zucchini to give it a cozy, herbal element. Once the zucchini has reduced down by about half, you’ll mash it and remove it from the heat.
What You’ll Need For This Recipe
For the compote, you’ll need zucchini, shallot, vegan butter or olive oil, and some dried herbs. I went with dried thyme and sage from my garden, but dried rosemary or basil would also be nice! Aside from the ingredients for the compote, you’ll need rolled oats, corn, chili peppers, and lemon juice. I used the kernels from 2 ears of corn since it is still in season and available fresh, You can, however, use thawed and drained frozen corn! You’ll need roughly 1 1/2 – 2 cups total if you decide to go that route. For the chili peppers, the variety you use is up to you! If you want it more on the mild side, go with a milder chili pepper or even a sweet one if you don’t want spice at all. I used the last of the Mariachi peppers from my garden which are more of a mild/medium pepper.
More Zucchini Recipes
- Golden Zucchini Crumble with Ginger
- Zucchini Cakes with Dewberry Glaze
- Zucchini Spaghetti with Tarragon & Lemon
Savory Oat Bowl with Zucchini Compote & Corn Relish (vegan)
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 2–3 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Savory buttered oats are topped with an herby zucchini compote and a fresh corn and chili pepper relish. It’s a great vegan and gluten free dish for late summer as we prepare to shift into autumn!
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp vegan butter, divided
- 3 tbsp minced shallot, divided
- 4 cups diced zucchini (from about 4 small/medium zucchini)
- sea salt, to taste
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp dried rubbed sage (optional)
- 2 ears of corn
- 1/4 cup diced mild or medium chili pepper
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 3 cups water
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
Instructions
Heat a large skillet over medium. Add 1 tablespoon of the vegan butter to the hot skillet. Once it has melted, add 2 tablespoons of the minced shallot and a small pinch of salt. Cook, stirring regularly, until the shallot has softened and is turning translucent. Add the diced zucchini to the shallots along with the dried thyme and the dried sage. Stir everything together then season with another small pinch of salt. Cook, stirring every 2-3 minutes, until the zucchini has reduced by about half. This will take roughly 30 minutes total. Once the zucchini has softened and reduced by half, gently mash the zucchini, then remove it from the heat. This is your compote!
While the compote is cooking, you can complete the other elements of the dish. To make the relish, cut the kernels off of the 2 ears of corn and add them to a bowl along with the remaining tablespoon of minced shallot, the diced chili pepper, and the lemon juice. Stir to combine, then taste and add salt as needed. Set this aside while you cook your savory oats.
To make the savory oats, add the rolled oats and the water to a pot along with a small pinch of salt. Set the pot on a burner over medium heat. Bring the oats and water to a simmer. Allow the oats to simmer for 2 minutes, then kick the heat down to low. Continue to cook the oatmeal, stirring every minute or so, until it is thick and creamy. Remove it from the heat, then stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of vegan butter and the nutritional yeast. Taste the oats and add salt as needed.
To serve, top each portion of the oats with some of the zucchini compote. Then, spoon some of the corn relish on top. You can serve lemon wedges alongside each bowl if you like!
Notes
- You can use summer squash in place of the zucchini if you like.
- If you don’t have access to fresh ears of corn, you can used 1 1/2 to 2 cups of thawed & drained frozen corn kernels.
- If you don’t like mild or medium chili peppers, feel free to use a sweet one instead!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
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