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Like most gardeners, the Plimoth has an overabundance of zucchini. And that’s a wonderful thing because it means there are many more servings to come of the restaurant’s zucchini bread appetizer.
Chef tournant David Almaraz dreamed up the dish while chef-owner Peter Ryan was traveling. Almaraz, who has been with the Plimoth for about a year, was looking to the restaurant’s garden for inspiration when he came across the prolific squash and herbs. “Over the phone I kept saying ‘make sure it’s not too sweet,’ ” Ryan recalls. Almaraz began working on a savory zucchini bread and after a few attempts, he nailed it.
And that’s the key to this starter: It’s not dessert-like. Instead the quick bread’s flavor is toned down but still nutmeg-y, and it’s topped with warm farmer’s cheese, roasted patty pans, squash blossoms, and a tangle of fresh herbs. The final touch is a sprinkling of powder made from ground, dehydrated leeks.
This is a dish that tastes of the garden’s bounty as well as the changing seasons. And it’ll only last as long as there’s still zucchini in the garden.
2335 28th Ave., 303-297-1215
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