squash recipes

[alacarte]

The squash in the greenmarket looks beautiful this season.

Anyone have recipes to share that DON'T include tomatoes? I know the classic prep is ratatouille...what else can I do with zucchini, summer squash, acorn squash, pattypan squash, etc., etc., etc.!

[GG Mora]

This has been in heavy rotation here at the Mora's (went over big at a few potlucks, too):

Pattypan Squash Gratin

(for about 3 lbs. squash)

Cut squash into 1/2 inch cubes. Toss with a few tablespoons of salt; let drain for a few hours. Rinse off salt. Dice two medium onions and mince two jalapeño peppers and six cloves of garlic. Sautée the aromatics until golden in about 3 tbsp butter. Add squash, season well with S&P and ground cumin. Stir/sauté over high heat* until the mixture starts to dry out (even after draining, the squash will still give up a lot of liquid). Once the mixture is dryish (no longer seeping fluids) add about half a cup of heavy cream and stir/sauté until the cream is bubbling. Turn the whole mix into an oval gratin dish, sprinkle 1/4 cup of grated Grana Padano mixed 1/4 cup of plain bread crumbs over the top. Bake at 375° until nicely browned on top and quite bubbly at the edges.

*Note: my stove is a real pussy, so if you're doing this on a professional / high-BTU model, high heat will likely be excessive.

Edited September 22, 2004 by GG Mora (log)

[curlywurlyfi]

there's a (shhhh) Jamie Oliver recipe which I riff on - he calls it Hamilton Squash and it's basically butternut squash cored + halved then stuffed with rice, bacon, onion, thyme, rosemary, red chili, garlic. I riff on it by chunking the squash, mixing with the other ingredients (fry the bacon + onion first) and baking in a pan with a bit of stock. I put cherry tomatoes in mine but of course, you don't have to!

Or my friend Teresa's Butternut Squash Soup - butter or oil, one butternut squash, one parsnip, one carrot, one onion, lots garlic, red chilli, veg or chicken stock, slosh double cream, puree, maybe add squeeze lemon juice. Freezes brilliantly.

my favourite way with zucchini (or courgettes as we call them) is: cut in half lengthways then cut into 2-3in chunks, then roast in a pan with olive oil, rosemary, garlic and a couple of cut lemon quarters. Discard lemon quarters before serving. maybe chop fresh mint over.

Alternative is courgette 'snails' - slice thinly lengthways + grill, put in bath of olive oil lemon juice chopped parsley basil + garlic while you do the rest of them, roll up round cubes of feta cheese + secure with toothpick. make great appetisers.

you can also grate courgettes, fry in a little garlic butter and stir into saffron mashed potatoes. Speckled spuds!

good luck!

Fi

[Gifted Gourmet]

My favorite is acorn squash, hollowed out, steamed, filled with autumn fruits (cranberries, apples, citrus peels) .. sweet and visually spectacular! No tomatoes died to make it either!

[eunny jang]

Mmmmm. Butternut squash and not-too-watery pumpkin are natural partners for sage. Ravioli alla zucca, or a risotto with roast squash cubes and lots of sage....

[alacarte]

These recipes sound great, thank you for the suggestions!

[JosephB]

Matchstick cut zucchini, flowered and fried. A sprinkle of salt and squeeze of lemon. Perfect.

Mmmmm.  Butternut squash and not-too-watery pumpkin are natural partners for sage.  Ravioli alla zucca, or a risotto with roast squash cubes and lots of sage....

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[msphoebe]

Martha Stewart has a recipe for Squash Gratin that is fabulous. Acorn squash layered with kale, cream, parmesan and bread crumbs, seasoned with garlic, pepper, nutmeg, thyme. Really good. Worth looking for the recipe.

[curlywurlyfi]

somewhere else on the boards (dinner thread?) there's a mention of lasagne with butternut squash and ricotta.

[Pezchef]

Last night we had Spaghetti squash. I usually boil the thing whole for about 20 minutes, then split it and take out the pulp. Then mix it with some salt, pepper, butter and parmesan and bake for another 20 minutes or so. It was really delish.

[Jaymes]

The Summer Squash recipe in Suvir's new cookbook (thread here) is really wonderful, slightly exotic for those unaccustomed to Indian food, and has no tomatoes. I made it the other night and recommend it.

And our family's favorite way of preparing summer squash came from my grandmother, who used to own a restaurant featuring home cooking, especially vegetables that she had grown out back.

Squash

Trim and cube three or four yellow squash. In the bottom of a medium saucepan, put a little butter. Smash and mince one large, or two small, garlic cloves and saute briefly in the butter. Slice one white or yellow onion and add to pot, along with squash. Add no water. Turn heat to lowest setting, cover pot tightly, and allow to slowly cook. The squash will begin to release its juices. Stir from time to time and continue cooking until squash is tender. Remove lid from squash and turn up heat. Break one egg into pot and stir rapidly. As egg scrambles and cooks, it will slightly coat the squash. When egg is cooked, remove squash from heat and stir in a little sour cream, or some grated cheese. Any kind will work. Serve immediately.

I'll go out on a limb here and say that in my opinion, this is the best, easiest, and tastiest "every day" method for cooking squash that you will ever find.

Edit: Should add that this works brilliantly well for all summer squash: yellow, zucchini, pattypan, etc. In fact, my favorite thing to do is a mixture.

Edited September 23, 2004 by Jaymes (log)

[Jinmyo]

Peeled, cored, sliced thin, blanched, sear until a bit black, three or five slices per plate. Serve with shoyu and wasabi dipping sauce. Nice with fish or other seafood and with vegetarian courses.

[Jaymes]

A good method for cooking summer squash (that doesn't include tomatoes) is this fine, and typical, old southern recipe:

Creamed squash.

Take as many yellow squash as you think you'll eat. Peel and cube. Put in a saucepan and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Add no water (the squash has enough liquid). Put it on low heat and leave it until the squash has released its juices, and is very tender. Remove lid, and boil until the squash is falling apart, and most of the liquid is gone. Add generous amounts of butter and heavy cream, a couple of tablespoons of sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, until squash has the consistancy of loose mashed potatoes.