Summer Squash

Published at

June-Sept

Inspect these when they come out of the box. Like a lot of water-filled vegetables and fruits, they can get a little banged up as they are transported and that little blemish can end up spoiling the whole fruit. So check them out and make a plan for using the ones that are damaged. The whole ones need a quick rinse, a good drying and then they should go into a ventilated plastic bag in the vegetable crisper. They’ll keep well for a few days, then they start to wilt. I’d use mine up in 3 or 4 days at the most.

And as for that damaged squash, rinse, then cut out any damaged parts. Go ahead and saute them or steam them that day. I’d eat them up right away. Or grill them and then dress with a little olive oil. Now you can refrigerate those grilled squash and use them later in the week for a cold salad or to make a really delicious salsa (your favorite salsa recipe – just squash instead of tomatoes). Think about grilling them in planks and making quesadillas or other grilled sandwiches.

(2023) Melted zucchini pasta with lemon and ricotta

Last week’s squash – both yellow and zucchini – ended up in a no-recipe pasta dish. I roasted all the squash together and cooked some frozen tortellini. Then tossed everything together. It’s the kind of thing my husband considers comfort food and an awful lot of squash was consumed with no complaint. It was a shortcut dinner (with leftovers for at least two days) on a day when I didn’t really have lots of time to cook.

Today I have a little fancier version from Hetty Lui McKinnon. We have some leftover ricotta here from testing Osteria 832’s lemon ricotta pancakes (best pancakes ever) so that’s probably another reason this recipe appeals to me.

(2022) Zucchini Tortillas

And while there’s no zucchini in our box this week, I’ve been wanting to try this zucchini tortilla recipe that Ali Stafford adapted from https://whiteonricecouple.com/zucchini-tortillas/. So I’m trying it with yellow squash.

Stafford says keep an eye on these while baking. If you bake them too long, the Parmesan will cook too much and cause the tortillas to become brittle.

(2022) Matthew Reeves’ Ratatouille

With so many peppers and that pretty eggplant, it’s time to make ratatouille. Down below is the recipe I’ve adapted from one provided by Matthew Reeves, who with his wife Maggie Reeves, hosts a drop-off for Riverview boxes. What I love is that there are almost no quantities given (just a size for one can of crushed tomatoes). Ratatouille really must have been created as a delicious way to use up summer vegetables and you can juggle quantities of ingredients to suit what you have… and what you like. We didn’t get zucchini this week (at least not in my box) but we got eggplant, yellow squash, lots of peppers, and garlic. You could use the red onion that we got today if you like, or maybe you have some yellow onions on hand. At our house, we’re not big rosemary fans, so we’re leaving that out.

(2022) Roasted Summer Squash

When we have a week with just one zucchini, or just one crookneck squash, like this week, I’m sometimes at a loss for what to do with them. But that’s just me thinking everything has to be made in big batches. I ran across a recipe that reminded me that simple and small is ok. It was suggested by the farmers market in Macon, Mulberry Market, that’s run by a community health center – so the focus is on healthy food for our state’s food deserts, and healthy recipes.

(2021) Charlotte’s Favorite Sausages & Veggies in Rice

Last night I finally tried Charlotte’s go-to recipe, sausages cooked in rice. I think we found a new family favorite, and another way to hide 3 cups of squash. (Psst: they didn’t even know it was in there!) That tomato in my box that didn’t survive its encounter with the watermelon? It joined the squash and onion in the rice. The end result was similar to risotto all cooked in a single skillet. Bueno.

(2021) Summer Vegetables in Spiced Yogurt Sauce

This is also a recipe from the New York Times and totally adaptable for what is in this week’s box. You should swap out vegetables as you prefer. I’ve just been in the mood for Indian food, so this really appealed to me this week. We ran a recipe for Chicken Korma from Aroma Bistro in Roswell a week or two ago and testing that recipe just made me crave Indian spices.

(2020) Grilled Chicken Vegetable Kabobs

How about this recipe from Southern Living back in the day? I’ve got some pepper jelly that needs eating up. I’m going to make this over the weekend. And hope for okra again next week so I can do my cornmeal-okra thing then.

(2020) Seven Minute Zucchini

Just for something different this week, I’m thinking of making this recipe – a vegetarian version of beef stroganoff although mine will probably be zucchini and yellow squash. I’ll get to a farmers market for some local mushrooms and serve this for dinner Saturday night. The recipe came from “The Church Supper Cookbook.” I’ve been testing some recipes with Israeli couscous and that’s probably what I’ll use to accompany this dish, in place of something like egg noodles.

(2020) Aluma Farm’s Veggie Pickles

Love that the Aluma Farm recipe helps you understand how much brine to make, depending on how many pickles you’re putting up. Really helpful for those of us pickling on the fly.

(2020) Chilled Summer Squash Soup

This recipe was just made for the contents of this week’s box. Adapted from Serious Eats. I think I’ll have enough squash for a small casserole and this soup (although I may have to cut it down from the three pounds of squash called for.)

(2019) Summer Squash Slaw

If you’ve run out of ideas for summer squash (it’s been a good year for squash, hasn’t it?) I’ve got one more idea – a squash slaw. Jason Burdett of Miller Union demoed this recipe at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market many years ago and it’s so simple, I keep it in rotation in my kitchen.

(2019) Summer Squash Pizza

And then there was my one squash. A big one, but not enough for a dish by itself. So I’m making pizza. I have no idea where the idea came from originally. It’s definitely pretty detailed so probably from a source like Cook’s Illustrated or America’s Test Kitchen.

You can definitely use your own pizza dough, but sometimes it’s ok to buy dough at the grocery store. It definitely saves time. But is it as tasty?

(2019) Herbed Squash Confit

There’s lots of squash this week – crookneck, zucchini and one giant Zephyr squash (in my box, at least) so I’m going to make the Herbed Squash Confit (a fancy name for grated, sauteed squash and I don’t remember where I delicious first found this recipe) because it’s good on baguette slices as the recipe mentions, but also stirred into pasta or just served alongside a piece of grilled chicken.

(2018) Sesame Noodles with Summer (or in our case, Fall) Vegetables

There are several other soup recipes there, and a few ideas for pickling and more ways to roast carrots. But I think I’m going to try this ancient recipe from Bon Appetit. All I need to add to what came in the box is a bunch of cilantro and a few green onions. You could add some protein, too..

(2018) Summer Squash Slaw

And I’ll leave you with this recipe for zephyr squash slaw. Justin Burdett who was at Miller Union at the time, demo’d this six (yes, six) years ago at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market. It’s so simple that I make it frequently.

(2017) Shaved Raw Squash Salad with Pistachios and Peas

This recipe was submitted by CSA subscriber Silvia Medrano-Edelstein, the chef instructor and founder of Word of Mouth Cooking Club specializing in kid’s gourmet meal-kit prepping camps and specialty events like kiddie mocktails and gingerbread houses. Her recipes don’t include exact measurements, but you can figure it out.

(2017) Vegetable Crostini with Squash and Onion

This recipe was submitted by CSA subscriber Silvia Medrano-Edelstein, the chef instructor and founder of Word of Mouth Cooking Club specializing in kid’s gourmet meal-kit prepping camps and specialty events like kiddie mocktails and gingerbread houses. Her recipes don’t include exact measurements, but you can figure it out.

(2017) Ratatouille Quiche

Finally, a pretty complicated recipe from Frank Stitt of Birmingham’s Highlands Bar and Grill, Bottega Cafe and Chez Fonfon. Delicious and worth the time it takes to make it. Maybe this could be a project for this weekend? Do you have some zucchini left from last week? Perfect. If not, maybe substitute another eggplant for the squash called for her.

(2017) Summer Succotash

I wish I remembered where this came from. But it’s a great way to use the corn and peppers from today’s box. We don’t have field peas yet, but I’m betting we’ll see some soon. And this is delicious without field peas – so consider maybe dicing up a zucchini if you have one left from last week. It’s an easy recipe for a slow cooker.

(2017) Summer Squash Risotto

Yes, you could make squash casserole, or grill your squash, or just stir fry it. But maybe you’d like to try this risotto idea from thekitchn.com. Risotto is such a thing these days that you’ll find Arborio rice on the shelves at every grocery store. I remember when it was a specialty item and you had to search!

(2017) Grilled Cabbage, Squash and Couscous Salad

This is a recipe I adapted from one I saw in Better Homes and Gardens. If you’re not serving it with a grilled meal, then grill the vegs when it’s convenient and refrigerate, then assemble when you’re ready for this salad.

Ratatouille Stuffed Eggplant

This lovely recipe comes to us from Garnish & Gather, the Atlanta-based local organic dinner delivery service. It will use up three of the vegetables in your box. No farro on hand? Substitute whatever grain – bulgur, rice, quinoa – you have in your pantry.

Eggplant/Squash Baba Ghanoush

I find it interesting that in all our eggplant recipes, we don’t have one for baba ghanoush. Well, that’s what I’m making from the eggplants in the box. Truth be told, it’s one of the few ways my husband will eat eggplant.

This one is from “Plenty More: Vibrant Vegetable Cooking from London’s Ottolenghi” by Yotam Ottelenghi and actually uses squash. I’m going to use up the squash from today’s box, but augment it with eggplant. This is a pretty fancy version, but worth knowing about.

Summer Squash Curry

This recipe is adapted from one in the New York Times. A nice reminder that vegan curries are delicious and coconut milk goes with so many vegetables.

Summer Squash Salad Sliders

Jon Wolf of The Terrace on Peachtree at The Ellis Hotel demoed this recipe at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market five years ago. It’s such a nice idea – raw, chopped vegetables as a slider – that I’m resurrecting it here. You could serve this as a simple salad as well, but it’s kind of fun to surprise people with a vegetable sandwich.

Layered Vegetable Torte

This one takes its inspiration from the New York Times. It will use the eggplant, squash, peppers, tomato, onion and garlic. There are a million vegetable torte ideas out there. I like this one right now because it calls for grilling the vegetables. That’s a way to keep the heat out of the kitchen as much as possible. And adds another layer of flavors to the dish.

Summer Squash with Honey

Cook pasta according to package directions. When drained, return to pot and add 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Toast almonds in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, shaking occasionally, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board, and chop. Add to pasta. Return skillet to medium-high heat, and add remaining 2 tablespoons oil and squash. Cook Read More…

Notes on Spring Produce

Another amazing week of vegetables. That head of romaine is just right for grilling – if you’re so inclined. I shared directions for grilling lettuce a few weeks ago, but basically – wash the head, cut it in half lengthwise, brush the cut sides with olive oil and grill. Dress it with a simple vinaigrette. Read More…

Dixie Winfrey’s Yellow Squash with Garlic Cream Sauce

Dixie Winfrey is the mom of Judith Winfrey of Love is Love Farm at Gaia Gardens and PeachDish. This recipe ran in Atlanta magazine. From Susan Puckett’s writeup: “A caterer, Dixie traveled to France and learned how to master velouté (a velvety “mother sauce” made with a butter-based roux) after having it served over squash blossoms. Back home, she tried the same sauce technique over the actual squash, which she simmered just enough to retain some of its crunch. Even her squash-phobic daughter approved. Now squash is a staple in both their kitchens during the summer months.”

Squash and Cabbage Casserole

This recipe from Moore Farms and Friends showed up in my inbox, just as I was thinking, “We need lots of squash and onion recipes!” It has the bonus of using a little cabbage as well. And some kale or Swiss chard.

Grilled Chicken and Summer Squash Salad

I’m sorry to say I have no idea where this recipe originally came from, but it’s the kind of thing I make all year around. A great marinade for chicken or shrimp and vegetables. You can marinate the protein and vegetables up to 2 hours ahead.

Blue Cheese-Stuffed Summer Squash

I’m a big fan of blue cheese, and came home from a South Carolina beach trip with a wedge of Clemson University’s blue cheese. Can’t wait to put it to use here. But substitute any cheese you like. This recipe came from Better Homes and Gardens magazine.

Summer Squash Salad

Have you had a chance to attend any of the chef demos at the East Atlanta Village Farmers Market? Seth Freedman cooks at 6pm each Thursday, demonstrating really lovely, simple recipes. Here are two I thought you might enjoy.

Chilled Summer Squash Soup

Beautiful zephyr squash and the first day of summer has inspired me to make a chilled soup. This recipe will make about 2 quarts. Make some croutons with whatever leftover bread is in your house to garnish the soup and provide a crunchy contrast.

Squash Tian

I turned last week’s squash into a Mexican casserole layering steamed squash with corn tortillas and a spicy sauce I had made from tomatoes and peppers. (Did you try Marcella Hazan’s tomato sauce recipe from last week? It’s genius! I’m a total convert.)

This week I’m going to try this variation on a recipe from Martha Rose Shulman who writes for the New York Times. I think it ran in 2010. Any rice will do, or you can leave out the rice and substitute more breadcrumbs (adding some to the squash mixture and still sprinkling some on the top). You just need the rice or some other starch to help hold the slices together.

Three Dollar Café Squash Casserole

Because we live in Atlanta, it’s pretty much a requirement that you make at least one squash casserole this summer. This recipe came was published recently in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. You can use any combination of summer squash (they use both crookneck and zucchini at Three Dollar Cafe) and top it with any cheese you like, although they definitely use American at the restaurant. If you don’t have chicken base, you can do without it, but it’s a long-lived pantry (actually – refrigerator) staple that adds a boost of flavor without all the liquid of using chicken stock.

Yogurt-Cucumber Dressing/Dip

I’m sharing two dips, one of which use cucumbers in the recipe. Both would work just as well as a salad dressing, but I was thinking of them as dips for fingers of fennel and kohlrabi, and disks of summer squash and cucumber. Green Goddess Dressing is traditionally made with a mixture of herbs and anchovies, but you can adjust it to suit your household’s taste.

Chicken and Summer Vegetable Tostadas

You probably didn’t need a tostada recipe, but it’s good to be reminded that all kinds of veggies make great tostadas –AND quesadillas – AND tacos – and they’re wonderful any time of day. This recipe comes from Cooking Light.

Summer Squash Pizza

This is basically a white pizza with squash. Thinly slicing the squash will help it crisp up in the oven. You could use red sauce and mozzarella if you prefer – it’s just another take on roasted squash.

Pizza can go together really quickly. Once you have some pizza dough, you should be able to assemble this one in about 10 minutes, and it bakes in just 5 minutes in a really hot oven.

Make your own dough (mix dough together, let it rest about 15 minutes while you prep the rest of the ingredients), or you can use one of the refrigerated or frozen doughs. I understand that you can buy pizza dough from a pizzeria, too; haven’t tried that yet, but it would be worth a phone call to see if your local favorite will sell you a ball or two.

If you don’t have roasted garlic on hand, just sauté a little minced garlic. Or … if you love garlic and don’t need the flavor “tamed” … just mix it in raw.