Clo's Zucchini

This quintessentially French dish (take something healthy and sauce it 'til it's unrecognizable) was taught to me in high school by a foreign exchange student who's been a friend ever since. It's very general -- all the amounts can be varied depending on how thick/cheesy/saucy you want the dish to be. Bon appetit!

Yield: 1 8-inch casserole dish

6 medium zucchini, cut into 1-inch chunks
1/2 stick butter (1/4 cup)
1/2 cup flour
1 2/3 cups milk
Salt and white pepper to taste
4 oz. Swiss cheese, grated

Cook the zucchini in boiling water until fork-tender. Drain in a colander. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour and let it cook about two minutes, then add the milk all at once, whisking vigorously until all the lumps are gone. Continue to whisk while it cooks. When the sauce thickens, remove from heat and stir in salt, pepper and about three-fourths of the grated Swiss. Pour the zucchini into an 8-inch casserole dish and cover with the cheese sauce. Stir just until the zucchini is covered. Top with the remaining cheese. Broil until the top browns and bubbles. (Or you can refrigerate the dish for several hours, then bake it at 325 until warmed through, about 45 minutes. Broil the top before serving.)