For me cranberries signal the start of the holiday season! I love the beautiful deep bright red color, it's so festive! I serve them continuously throughout the season with leftovers and as a side dish. I buy plenty of bags of fresh cranberries while they are available at the market and freeze them. They are seasonal and you can't get fresh cranberries in the spring or summer. That' when having bags of frozen cranberries comes in handy. They can stay in your freezer for up to 9 months! I use fresh cranberries all year long.
Using a mandolin with a "toothed" blade, slice zucchini into long noodle-like shapes. If you don't have a mandolin to do this, use a vegetable peeler and create long papardelle-like ribbons. Place zucchini into a big bowl. Season with ¼ teaspoon of salt and fresh cracked pepper. Mix well and set aside. In a food processor, add Italian parsley, basil, garlic cloves, and a pinch of salt. Pulse several times to combine. Turn the machine on and slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Add ½ cup of pesto to the zucchini pasta. Mix to combine. Add more sauce if so desired. Serve right away or cover tightly and let it marinate for a few hours. Garnish with Parmesan cheese, red pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
