Crispy rice, zucchini and Gruyère shards with lemon, basil and pink pepper cream

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 220 °C / 425 °F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and brush it with half of the olive oil.

2. 2

   Place the grated zucchini in a colander, toss it with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and let it rest for 10 minutes. Then wrap it in a clean towel or paper towels and squeeze very well to remove as much moisture as possible.

3. 3

   In a large bowl, mix the cooked and cooled rice, the well-drained zucchini, 70 g of the grated Gruyère cheese, the beaten egg, cornstarch, chives, garlic powder, the remaining salt, and black pepper until you have a moist but compact mixture.

4. 4

   Spoon portions of the mixture onto the baking sheet and flatten them with the back of a spoon into thin, irregular shards about 7 to 9 cm wide. Leave space between them. Brush the tops with the remaining olive oil and sprinkle with the remaining 30 g of Gruyère cheese.

5. 5

   Bake for 12 minutes at 220 °C / 425 °F. Remove the tray, carefully flip the shards with a spatula, and bake for 10 to 12 minutes more at 220 °C / 425 °F, until golden, firm, and crisp around the edges.

6. 6

   While they bake, make the cream by mixing the Greek yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, chopped basil, and crushed pink peppercorns in a bowl. Stir until smooth.

7. 7

   Let the shards rest for 3 minutes out of the oven so they finish setting and become crisper. Serve warm or at room temperature with the lemon, basil, and pink pepper cream on the side.