We have been cutting vegetables too thin. To balance this out, we started cutting vegetables too thick. These vegetables take time to cook, and they can take the heat. They just need babysitting. In the end, we are rewarded for the attention we paid during the cooking process. Tonight, we put a large cast iron skillet on medium-high heat. We coated the pan with a thick film of olive oil. When the oil shimmered, we slid in a layer of thick-cut zucchini rounds. We seasoned the rounds with salt. We cooked them until they were foxy brown. We flipped the rounds and seasoned their other side with salt. When the bottoms were equally browned, we removed the zucchini from the pan and layered them on a plate. We topped the hot zucchini with globe basil leaves and shavings of Parrano Uniekaas cheese. The zucchini was caramelized and succulent. Some would say it had a meaty texture. What it had was a roasted vegetable texture. The basil added sweet aromatics. The cheese added a smooth, nutty salinity.
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