Zucchini Salad with Almonds and Taleggio

• Recipe by Marcia Kiesel

Looking to match the earthiness and tropical fruits in the 2005 Kim Crawford Marlborough Unoaked Chardonnay from New Zealand, Kiesel created this dish of fresh zucchini, balanced by soft, ripe Taleggio and roasted marcona almonds.

Ingredients

1. 1 large shallot, thinly sliced, plus 1 teaspoon minced shallot
2. 1/4 cup vegetable oil
3. 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
4. Salt and freshly ground pepper
5. 3 very fresh 4-ounce zucchini, cut into 2-by-1/3-inch sticks
6. 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
7. 1/2 cup roasted, salted almonds, preferably marcona, coarsely chopped
8. 3/4 pound Taleggio cheese, at room temperature, cut into 4 wedges

Directions

1. Separate the sliced shallot into rings. In a small skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil. Add the shallot rings in an even layer and cook over moderate heat until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil with the minced shallot and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Add the zucchini and toss to coat. Mound the salad on plates. Sprinkle with the parsley, almonds and fried shallot rings. Set the Taleggio wedges beside the salad and serve.

Make Ahead

The shallot rings can be fried 2 hours ahead. Drain the rings on paper towels, then transfer to a plate and keep at room temperature.