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In a large sauté pan over medium heat, sauté the onion with the oil, garlic, and thyme for about 1 minute. Add the diced zucchini and continue to cook until the onions are translucent and the zucchini is tender. Add the tomato, salt, and pepper, and cook until most of the water is evaporated. Remove from the heat and chill.

Line a 2-inch-square mold (1 inch high) with 4 zucchini slices (2 horizontal and 2 vertical) allowing the edges to hang over the mold. Stuff three-fourths full with the vegetable mixture. Fold the overhanging zucchini on top of the vegetables, trimming if necessary with scissors. Press lightly on the vegetables to make sure they are tightly packed.

Turn the mold over onto a baking sheet lined with oiled parchment paper and remove the mold carefully, keeping the square shape of the box. Repeat this process to make 18 boxes. Brush each box with oil and sprinkle with thyme leaves and freshly ground white pepper.

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. The boxes should be served warm, not hot.

Black Mosto Oil

1 cup dry-cured Moroccan black olives

1/3 cup olive oil

1/2 tablespoon Tabasco

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

To make the Black Mosto Oil: Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Smash the olives with a flat object or the palm of your hand and remove the pits. Put the olives on a baking sheet and bake for about 2 hours, or until the olives feel very dry.

Put the dried olives in a blender and add the oil. Blend on high speed until a smooth liquid is formed. Add Tabasco, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Chill and set aside.

Pickled Shallots

3 whole shallots

1/4 cup distilled vinegar

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon grenadine

1 tablespoon sugar

To make the Pickled Shallots: Remove the skin from the shallots with a sharp paring knife. Slice the shallots horizontally to make thin rings.

In a medium saucepot, bring the vinegars, grenadine, and sugar to a boil. Add the shallots and return to a boil, remove from the heat, and cool.

Garnish

Fleur de sel

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup plum tomato seeds (reserved from plum tomatoes)

1/3 cup small opal basil leaves

2 tablespoons picked thyme leaves

How to Plate: Place 3 warm Zucchini Boxes on each of six square plates, seasoning the top with fleur de sel. Artfully garnish each plate with dots of oil, plum tomato seeds, and opal basil leaves. Using a teaspoon of Black Mosto Oil, slide and gently pour between the boxes to create two narrow lines across the plate. Top each box with 2 pickled shallots and thyme.

Spiced Citrus Fruit Salad with Pineapple Sorbet, Toasted Nut Tuile, and Pineapple Chip

Serves 10

Meyer Lemon Confit

5 Meyer lemons (or regular lemons can be substituted)

3 cups water

4 cups granulated sugar, divided

3/4 cup light corn syrup

To make the Meyer Lemon Confit: Bring three large pots of water to a boil. Cut lemons in half, squeeze, and reserve juice. Boil lemons for 1 minute; drain and rinse. Repeat in second pot. Put lemons in third pot and simmer until tender (you can check with the tip of a paring knife); chill. With a spoon, scrape away the pith, which should be very soft and easy to remove. In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups of water to a boil with 3 cups sugar. Add the lemon skins and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and cover. Store at room temperature for up to 2 days. Reheat with remaining sugar and light corn syrup until sugar is dissolved. Store, covered, in refrigerator until ready to use. Slice the skins into three petals each.

Pineapple Sorbet

1-1/4 cups water

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon scraped vanilla bean

1-3/4 cups pineapple purée

To make the Pineapple Sorbet: Combine the water, sugar, and corn syrup in a large saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. When the sugar is dissolved, whisk in vanilla bean and pineapple purée; remove from the heat. Using a hand blender or standing blender, purée the mix well. Chill overnight in the refrigerator. The next day, put the mix into an ice