We interrupt your regularly scheduled salads to bring you a bit of food science. The Maillard reaction is the one of the ways foods turn brown when you roast them (along with caramelization.) Oh, as in roasted garlic (done in a hot, dry pan)…
…or when you let Zucchini sauté until brown spots appear (here aided and abetted by a touch of balsamic vinegar added at the end.)
Both of these pick up sweetness and a depth of flavor that’s hard to get in any other way.
The garlic, by the way, went into a batch of crushed Yukon Gold potatoes (boil potatoes whole, with skins on. Remove from water, crush with a fork, and mix in good olive oil, salt, pepper, roasted garlic, and a bit of mild cheese. Top with a bit of shredded basil if desired.)
Simple, easy, and delicious.