Zucchini eggs

Mediterranean Thyme

The summer I spent on an archaeological dig on the island of Cyprus, digging up an Early Bronze Age village and cemetery, the hillside we worked on was covered with wild thyme bushes, as you can see in this picture. After smelling thyme all day long, all summer, I couldn’t face using thyme in cooking for a year! But when we came back down to camp in the evening, zucchini scramble was one of my favorite dinners.

is it good for you to eat eggs?

As far as I can tell, eggs are basically good for you. They have a lot of cholesterol, but there’s not much evidence that eating cholesterol gives you high cholesterol. Eggs are a good cheap source of protein, and better for you than meat, though it’s probably healthier to be avoid animal products altogether. This recipe’s mainly zucchini anyway.

Fancy eggs or cheap eggs?

As far as I can tell, or anyone doing a blind tasting can tell, all eggs pretty much taste the same. If money is the main concern, get the cheap ones. I do try to always get the vegetarian-feed ones: I don’t like the idea of eating eggs from chickens that ate meat byproducts. When I can spare the money, I get the farmer’s market eggs, because I like to support local small-scale farming, and because I like to eat eggs that came from happy chickens.

How to make Zucchini Omelette:

Slice two pounds of zucchini (about five or six medium-size zucchini) into slices about 1/8 inch thick. Break 5 eggs into a bowl and mix well. In a large frying pan, heat 1/4 cup of olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced zucchini and spread them out all over the pan. Let them fry on one side for about five minutes, until they begin to brown, and then gently turn them to brown on the other side. Don’t break them too much, or you’ll have zucchini mush, but don’t let them burn either.

When the zucchini are browned on both sides, pour in the eggs over the top. Mix until the eggs are cooked (breaking up the zucchini), season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve hot. Serve this with sliced tomatoes.

Vegetarian or vegan?

Naturally vegetarian. You can make this vegan by making a tofu scramble instead of eggs, though, or by using egg substitutes.

How long will zucchini omelette keep?

It’s good reheated the next day for lunch, but I wouldn’t try to keep it longer than that.

Published by Karen Carr

Dr. Karen Carr is Associate Professor Emerita, Department of History, Portland State University. She holds a doctorate in Classical Art and Archaeology from the University of Michigan. Follow her on Instagram, Pinterest, or Facebook, or buy her book, Vandals to Visigoths.

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