Cook-Off 63: Summer Squash

[blue_dolphin]

16 minutes ago, lemniscate said:

I just watched a Pasta Grammar video  which show a really interesting use of squashes as a flatbread.  Starts @ 16:30 time mark.   It's Sardinian coccoi flatbread.   I want to make this sometime.   It looks so good.

 

Here is the  non-video recipe .

 

Thanks for bringing that up.  I saw that episode a while back and was intrigued by that recipe.  I'll give it a try.

[kayb]

I guess I’m a dullard where summer squash is concerned. Yellow crookneck squash. Slice it 1/4 inch or so thick. Sauté in olive oil until tender, with onions, seasoned salt and pepper. Cook twice as much as you plan to eat. Take the leftovers, the next day, and combine with 2 eggs, 1/4 cup half and half, a cup of grated cheese, and a sleeve of crushed Ritz crackers. Dump in a baking dish, top with cracker crumbs and more cheese, and bake.

 

Thank me later.

[BeeZee]

Raw summer squash “carpaccio”…it softens slightly after marinating about an hour, but retains most of its texture.

 

[Katie Meadow]

I'll say one thing about yellow summer squash: it's better than zucchini. There is a recipe Summer Squash Gratom all  Juanita that I clipped several years ago but can't find online. It's simple and good and uses nothing more than yellow squash and tomatoes. First sauté an onion and/or shallots in olive oil, Add minced garlic  and salt. Remove the mixture when the garlic is fragrant and coat the bottom of a gratin dish with it. Slice up 1.5 to 2 lbs medium size squash and arrange it in rows. Make in-between layers of about a pint of cherry tomatoes, halved. Press down and bake in the oven at 375 for about 45 minutes. Take out of the oven and cover the top with  grated melty cheese like Oaxaca to taste. Switch the oven to broil and cook again very briefly til the cheese is melted.

 

Additions are called for:  fresh thyme and oregano is nice. Roasted green chile is good. Or chop up a fresh Jalapeño or serrano chile and add it to the onion/garlic sautée. I use about 5-6 medium yellow squashes, usually crookneck. I also don't see any reason to make neat rows. Mine are semi-organized, but I don't see what the harm would be in simply piling them all in together. Also I don't see why you can't use whatever firm but ripe tomatoes you have on hand, just cut in chunks. Surely there's plenty of room to improvise whenever you have summer squash and tomatoes. Use spices or herbs generously. We like this just as a side but sometimes make it a main meal by serving it with some version of Mexican red rice. Especially good if you use achiote paste to flavor the rice.

[Shelby]

On 7/16/2023 at 5:03 PM, BeeZee said:

Raw summer squash “carpaccio”…it softens slightly after marinating about an hour, but retains most of its texture.

 

Could you share the recipe please  .  I see carrots and tomatoes.

[BeeZee]

17 hours ago, Shelby said:

Could you share the recipe please  .  I see carrots and tomatoes.

Shelby, I make this up as I go and depending on what I have. This time it was 3 small squash (thinner=less seeds) and 2 carrots cut into strips lengthwise with a Y-peeler, one chopped up Roma tomato (I usually prefer halved cherry tomatoes). I made a vinaigrette using a small dab of anchovy paste, spoonful of dijon, S/P, Aleppo or smoked pepper flakes, some dried thyme, red wine vinegar + rice wine vinegar, drop of honey (reduced sharpness), olive oil. I just mixed it in a small bowl, it probably was around 1/4c of dressing. After tossing everything together, added more salt after tasting, and some crumbled feta cheese.