These zucchini pickles remind me of having lunch with friends at Zuni Cafe, one of my favorite restaurants in San Francisco. Maybe it’s a lovely late summer weekend and we’re basking in the California sunshine at one of the cafe tables on the Market street sidewalk, or it’s a dreary bone-chilling January Wednesday and we’ve snagged a spot by the wood-burning oven. No matter where we’re sitting or what time of year it is, we’re having cocktails or wine at lunch and life seems, if only momentarily, stunningly fabulous.

Zuni serves these pickles alongside their famous burger (which, unfortunately, they insist on serving on foccacia, which gets entirely too soggy and turns it into a fork-and-knife dish). I like to have them with burgers, too, but I also put them out with pretty much any grilled meat, including sausages. Of course, that’s assuming there are any left after members of my household have figured out there’s a batch in the fridge.

They’re very easy to make, and I’ve streamlined the method a bit. The crispness, bright chartreuse color, and ease of preparation are all there. Best of all they keep pretty much indefinitely, so you can grab a little slice of bright yellow fabulousness whenever you please.

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Each week, the Friday Food Files are deliciously brought to you by Molly Watson. For more on Molly and her delicious recipes, you can visit her in one of many wonderful places:
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[ Photos courtesy of Molly Watson. ]