Category: Summer Squash (Zucchini, Patty Pan, Crookneck)

  Whether you have just one zucchini or three or four, they make a delicious frittata.  ... Read more »

  I love the time of year when I can make ratatouille, when sweet peppers, eggplant, summer squash and tomatoes are all at their peak--usually beginning early August and lasting until mid-to late September. In my cook-with-what-you-have version quantities are easily adapted and the ratios are not critical so scale up or down as needed. It is important to cook some of the vegetables separately so that you don't crowd the pans and steam them rather than sautéing them. You want the browning and sweetness that comes with direct contact with the hot skillet.   It is a rich, stew-like dish in which the vegetables all break down a bit. It is not beautiful but it is GOOD! Serve with some good crusty bread, another salad, a frittata or some such. It’s even better the next day and delicious at room temperature as well.... Read more »

--adapted from Super Natural Everyday by Heidi Swanson   This dish was inspired by the ever clever and creative Heidi Swanson. I’ve changed a bunch of things: I omitted the tofu croutons but by all means add diced tofu if you have it. I serve it over rice to give it heft and make it a one-dish meal. I used green instead of red curry paste, onions instead of shallots and added lots of basil.   This recipe uses a good number of summer squash. It’s great warmed up the next day for lunch either eaten as soup or over rice. I can imagine this being delicious with other veggies as well as the season changes so experiment as you see fit. It would also be delicious with some chicken or prawns if you want to dress it up a bit and make it even heartier.... Read more »

One early summer night  I found a few zucchini in the fridge, half a Walla Walla Sweet, and a bit of bacon. I happened to have a ball of Grand Central Bakery's whole wheat pizza dough on hand. I love to make my own dough but don't as often as I used to with good dough easy to find. If you have time to make your own dough, by all means do so, see recipe below.... Read more »

Succotash was created by the Naragansett Indians and remains popular especially in the South and there are dozens of interpretations of the dish. I think of corn as the essential ingredient and that all the vegetables are chopped quite small. Lima beans are the classic bean to use but I've used many different kinds and sometimes substitute or just add blanched, green beans (as I did here). It's a great technique to employ with CSA/market/garden vegetables since you can adapt it with what you have (summer squash, turnips, chard stems, etc.) and vary the ratio of vegetables as you like.   I make it with and without bacon and both versions are wonderful.... Read more »

Classic and lovely and not as complicated or time consuming as it might seem. I rarely salt and drain eggplant. It’s an extra step that I don’t find necessary with perfectly fresh eggplant. You can either bake the eggplant or pan-fry it in just a little oil. I like both versions and usually do the below, stove-top version because I'm always in a hurry and it's quicker. You can also swap zucchini, see below, for the eggplant. [caption id="attachment_21596" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Or make it with zucchini instead![/caption]... Read more »

Quick, fragrant and nicely cooled by the yogurt on a hot summer evening. Make as much or as little as you want as it's easily scalable. ... Read more »

--adapted from the Zuni Cafe Cookbook  by Judy Rodgers   These are very similar to the bread and butter (cucumber) pickles my mother has made for decades. They’re quick to make, wonderful with burgers or anywhere else that calls for a little zip. They are nicely balanced, sweet and savory.... Read more »

  I like a high vegetable to pasta ratio so use about 3/4 lb of pasta here but by all means make the full pound and cook more squash or vary the ratio. You could also substitute rice or another grain or just toss the browned zucchini with the pesto for a rich side dish. ... Read more »

  This is a classic Italian vegetable custard, richly flavored and smooth. It’s best warm or at room temperature with a nice cold glass of white wine.   Serves 4 entree w/ a salad & bread, etc., 8 as a starter.... Read more »

This is quite similar to the plain summer squash pancake but the addition of corn, cumin and some herbs gives it a different and slightly heftier character. [caption id="attachment_6554" align="alignleft" width="640"] I had a bit of kale to use up so this batch is a bit greener than usual. They were just as delicious. It's a great recipe to use up whatever vegetables you have.[/caption]... Read more »

I am not generally a fan of raw zucchini or any kind of summer squash but I have to say this salad is a keeper. I’ve made it several times and enjoy it more each time. The toasted almonds are key to the success, offering a nice crunchy contrast to the soft vegetables.  ... Read more »

  I took some distinct liberties with this recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks. You can also just roast the vegetables with the spice mix (chermoula) and enjoy those as a side and skip the bulgur salad and yogurt or just make the veggies and top with the yogurt, cilantro and mint. It is a fun take on plain roasted vegetables in any case. And I think it is best with eggplant (what the original recipes uses exclusively), though my six-year-old definitely preferred the potatoes. This dish takes a bit of time but makes a lot.   ... Read more »

Lentils get overlooked a bit in the summer but I especially love salads with small green lentils in the summer. You can make them ahead of time and then have a robust, room temperature dish for whenever you need it. ... Read more »

--inspired by Food52.com   Whenever you have a lot of squash this is the perfect thing to do. Grated, it cooks down quickly, turning into a sweet and savory side dish or spread. Spread it on toast in place of actual butter or add a thick layer in a sandwich with  tomatoes and/or soft cheese. You can use it as a pizza topping or a pasta sauce too.  ... Read more »

  --adapted from by Julia Child via Food52   Julia Child has a summer birthday (August 15) and in honor of her I usually make it. It takes a little bit of time but is well worth it and uses a little over 2 lbs of summer squash. We sometimes have this for dinner with sliced tomatoes, basil and feta. It makes a lot and you will likely eat more than you think you will, at least I always do.    Serves 6... Read more »

This is the quintessential cook-with-what-you-have dish my mother made all summer long and I never, never tire of it. She is not shy with the heat and lets the summer squash (of any kind) get nice and brown and soft. It is sweet and wonderful and it's a perfect way to work through a lot or a little squash and it's just as good at room temperature or for breakfast with an egg.... Read more »

  Simple, delicious and beautiful on a hot day, any day, really. You can use other summer squash in place of the zucchini.  I began making this dish for my family when I was in high school and it's remained a standby.  ... Read more »

These are just so good! They come together quickly and don’t be put off by grating the zucchini onto a dishtowel or into a bowl and then wringing out the liquid. It’s easy and even fun to do and makes the fritters so much better and only takes a few minutes.  ... Read more »

I have made variations of this Thai-inspired curry for many years. It's not an authentic green curry but a tasty, quick adaptation.   The curry is even better if you have makrut lime leaves--sometimes found in grocery stores and typically in Asian grocery stores. They freeze perfectly so if you see some buy plenty and freeze for future curries. But don't worry if you don't have any. A squeeze of fresh lime juice to finish is a nice alternative.  ... Read more »