Tips and techniques
Defining sushi
Sushi originated as a way to preserve both rice and fish -- the earliest examples of sushi, going back to around the 8th century, were layers of rice and carp aged for up to a year.
This is far less common now than it was at the time, and now sushi rice is vinegared instead of being allowed to ferment naturally, but sushi is still, in essence, the combination of vinegared rice with egg, vegetables or raw or cooked fish.
Pressed sushi, made in a wooden box with a bottom layer of rice and a top layer of fish and weighted, is the original modern sushi; nigiri sushi was invented as a form of fast food sometime in the early 19th century, and gained popularity during World War II as a result of rice shortages and food rationing. Raw or marinated fish without rice is sashimi.
Now that you've got all this zucchini, what are you going to do with it?
It's best to stick to cooking methods that will concentrate its natural flavors. Grill long slices and serve with a simple dipping sauce, or skewer 1-inch chunks with other vegetables and grill as kebabs.
Deep-fry them batter-dipped, or pan-fry in a light breading. For something a little different, use as an ingredient for salad by slicing very thinly or cutting into julienne.
And when faced with the inevitability of too much zucchini, peel, puree the inside and store in the freezer for up to a year for zucchini bread all year round.
Scripps Howard News Service