Squash is growing profusely in the garden now. Help yourself to any squash you see on the produce stand or pick your own fresh from the bush. Here are a couple of recipes to help you enjoy this summer delicacy. If you have a favorite squash recipe, please share! Also, I found one small red tomato in the tomato patch, a sign of things to come. Keep your eyes open and you may spot the next one.
Sliced Zucchini and Yellow Squash Salad
Use young squash for this recipe—larger squash have too many seeds and are more fibrous.
10 ounces small, tender yellow squash (about 3)
10 ounces small, tender zucchini (about 3)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 lemons
1/2 ounce Parmesan cheese
Using a mandolin, very thinly slice the yellow squash into rounds and the zucchini lengthwise. Arrange the squash rounds and zucchini slices with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil, and squeeze the juice of 1 lemon over them.
Very thinly shave the parmesan cheese directly on top, and serve with the other lemon cut into wedges.
Serves 6
Sauteed Zucchini
8 medium zucchini (about 3 pounds)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, cut crosswise into 1/2” rounds
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Trim ends from zucchini, and cut in half lengthwise. Cut each half crosswise into 1/2-“inch slices; set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large sauce pan on medium-low heat. Add onion, cook until it starts to brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Add 6 cups zucchini. Season with thyme, calst, and pepper; sauce, tossing occasionally, until just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl while cooking remaining zucchini.
- Add the remaining tablespoon olive oil to pan; add remaining zucchini. Season with salt and pepper. Sate until just cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Zucchini Omelet
Use leftover sautéed zucchini in an omelet, adding feta cheese to the zucchini for the omelet.
Squash Deluxe
You might use zucchini, yellow crooked neck, or pale green scalloped summer squash, or mix all three types for this beautiful casserole.
1 1/2 cups raw brown rice, cooked with —
1 tsp. Salt and
1 tsp. Paprika
5 cups summer squash, sliced into bite-sized pieces
2 cups yogurt
1/4 cup sesame oil
1/3 cup grated cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives or scallions
1/3 cup toasted sesame seeds
Whole protein bread crumbs
Butter
(1) Cook the rice with salt and paprika.
(2) Prepare the squash and set it aside.
(3) Stir the yogurt, sesame oil, grated cheese, and salt together in a small saucepan; heat over a low flame until the cheese melts. Remove from heat and stir in the beaten egg and the chives. The sauce should not be so hot that it will curdle the egg.
(4). To assemble the dish: Stir the cooked rice and sesame seeds together and spread on the bottom of the 7” x 11” shallow baking dish. Arrange the squash pieces over the rice, pour the yogurt sauce over, top with a thick layer of bread crumbs, and dot generously with butter.
(5). Bake the casserole at 375 degrees F. Until the crumbs are browned and the squash is tender but still firm.
This is a full-on vegetarian dish. The yogurt and cheese complimented by the rice provide plenty of protein. Be warned though, the sesame oil makes it something of an acquired taste. If you like it, let me know and I will be happy to share with you my recipe for Crusty Soybean Crowdpleaser (for real, I actually made this…once).
