Zucchini Carpaccio with Lemon and Parmesan Shavings

🥒 Veggie Carpaccio: Freshness and Elegance in 10 Minutes

Carpaccio is not exclusively reserved for meats and fish. By using tender vegetables like zucchini, raw and cut with extreme thinness, we achieve a haute cuisine dish at home. The lemon acid acts by performing a slight "cold cooking" that softens the zucchini fibers without losing its crunchy touch.

🧀 Why it is exceptionally healthy

• Raw Vegetables: By not applying heat, we preserve all the digestive enzymes and vitamin C of the zucchini and lemon intact.
• Calcium and Umami: Authentic Parmesan cheese provides a very high concentration of calcium and proteins, plus an intense flavor that elevates the dish.
• Extremely Low Calorie: An exceptionally light option, perfect as an appetizer or for detox dinners.

📝 Step-by-Step Preparation

1. The Perfect Cut: Wash very well 1 medium firm zucchini (about 8.8 oz / 250g) without blemishes. Dry the skin. Use a mandoline to cut it into almost translucent circular slices (1-2 millimeters thick). If you don't have a mandoline, use a very sharp knife with great patience.
2. Artistic Arrangement: Place the zucchini slices on a large flat plate, overlapping them slightly from the outside towards the center, forming a flower.
3. The Citrus Emulsion: In a small bowl, squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon (approx. 0.7 fl oz / 20ml). Add 1 fl oz (30ml) of cold-pressed EVOO, a pinch of flaky salt (like Maldon salt), and freshly ground black pepper. Whisk with a fork.
4. The Marinate: With the help of a spoon, uniformly bathe all the zucchini slices with the emulsion. Let rest at room temperature for 10-15 minutes.
5. The Gourmet Touch: With a potato peeler, shave very thin slices from a 1 oz (30g) block of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and distribute them on top.
6. Final Aroma: Garnish with a handful of lightly toasted pine nuts (0.35 oz / 10g) and a few fresh arugula leaves.