Main Character Energy: Zucchini as the Centerpiece with Helen Graham

NOTE: iphone and ipad users, CLICK HERE to register for class.

What’s on the Menu:
Caramelized Zucchini Dip
Zucchini with Peanut Tahini & Pickled Fennel

Tell us: Is any vegetable more underestimated than zucchini? So often dismissed as a bland filler or a vehicle for other flavors, zucchini is actually one of the most versatile pieces of summer produce in the kitchen. No one knows that better than Helen Graham, author of the new book "Centerpiece" and former member of the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen. Join Helen for a livestream class that will permanently change the way you think about this humble summer squash.

With Helen as your guide, you'll make two recipes that showcase two radically different ways to approach zucchini. First, we make a caramelized zucchini dip where low, slow cooking in olive oil coaxes out jammy sweetness that's balanced by earthy fenugreek and bright Aleppo chili. Served with crunchy pita chips, this dip is guaranteed to generate a chorus of “can you send me that recipe?” requests. As you snack on your dip, Helen will show you how to make a restaurant-worthy dish of pan-seared zucchini with peanut tahini and pickled fennel, a combination that may sound unusual but that works well when you understand the interplay of flavor, texture and temperature as well as Helen does. Along the way, you'll pick up techniques that extend well beyond this class: how to build depth from a single vegetable, when to char versus caramelize and how to construct sauces that hold dishes together. This is cooking that truly makes vegetables the centerpiece.

Get 15% off your copy of “Centerpiece” with code RiaeMilk15 here: https://www.readitandeatshop.com/book/9781783256549

About Helen: Helen Graham is a celebrated chef and food writer based in London. Drawing on her Jewish diasporic roots, she pioneers innovative vegetable-forward cooking inspired by cuisines across the Middle East, Eastern Europe and North Africa. She has worked at several prominent Middle Eastern restaurants including the Palomar, the Barbary and the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen. Helen was Executive Chef at renowned London vegetarian restaurant Bubala for 5 years, helping take the business from pop-up to two critically acclaimed sites before leaving in 2023 to go solo. In 2022, Helen was selected as a rising star by Jay Rayner, and she made her debut television appearance on Sunday Brunch. Her recipes have appeared in Great British Chefs, House & Garden, The Guardian, Vogue, Delicious Magazine, Ocado Life Magazine, the Financial Times, and The Observer.

Thank you to our 2026 annual sponsors, Wulf’s Fish and Savenor’s Market. Together, Wulf’s and Savenor’s provide premium seafood and gourmet meat to chefs and home cooks across the country. Use code MILKSTREET10 for 10% off orders from Wulf’s (t.ly/REVSO) and Savenor’s (t.ly/CRwjA).

If you have any questions about this class, please don't hesitate to get in touch via cookingschool@177milkstreet.com.

This event has limited spots and you must register in advance via Eventbrite in order to attend. One sign-up covers one device. Payments for Milk Street livestream events are non-refundable. If you find yourself unable to attend, you may transfer the ticket to someone else, but we are unable to refund fees and all payments are final.

Closed Captioning is available for all Milk Street virtual events.

Immediately after registering, you will get a confirmation email that contains the Zoom meeting log-in information. One week prior to the class (or within 48 hours, if you register less than one week in advance), you will receive instructions on how to prepare ingredients and equipment in order to cook along, if you choose.

After class, you will receive a recording of the event, as links to any additional recipes and resources that may come up. NOTE:The recording link is only available online for one month following each event. If you’d like to have access to the recording for longer than that, you'll need to save the recording locally by clicking on “download” on the top right corner of the recording page.

Bonus: All attendees of this class will receive a one-time 20% off coupon to the Milk Street Store after class.