Recipes
Summer Squash
Summer Squash Info: "Zucchini" is just one kind; summer squash come in a myriad of shapes, colors, and sizes, but they all taste essentially the same and can be cooked in the same manner. Use raw for dipping or in salads. Steam until fork-tender, but don’t overcook (flesh should still be somewhat white. If it’s clear, you’ve overcooked it…still edible, but it’ll be super-soft). Add to soups/stew as they are approaching being finished. Great for grilling, making casseroles, or use for stuffing to make a neat appetizer or side dish. Squash dehydrate quickly, so you’ll want to store them in a plastic bag or container of some sort. You can also freeze blanched, cooked or pureed squash for winter use, or use a dehydrator and make dried squash chips.
Titles on this page, in order. Scroll down to find the recipe you're interested in:
Zucchini Fritters, Easy Ratatouille, Pickled Baby Squash, Summer Squash Bread and Butter Pickles, Crispy Squash Coins, Pattypan Squash New Orleans, Oven-Roasted Squash, Italian-style Nutty Zucchini, Zucchini with Chopped Tomatoes, Zucchini Bread, Zucchini and Tomatoes with Pasta, Sauteed Zucchini, Potato-Zucchini Pancakes, Dave's Famous Zucchini, Two-Squash Bake
Zucchini Fritters
(from CSA Member Susan M.)
Makes about 12-18
2 cups shredded zucchini (or other summer squash)
½ cup shredded leek or onion
3 TBS grated parmesan or romano cheese, or mixture
1 slice toast, crumbled
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
2 TBS chopped fresh mint (don’t substitute – this is the “secret” ingredient!)
1 egg
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil for frying
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Can be made earlier in the day and stored in the refrigerator. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls into a hot frying pan with a little olive oil. Lightly brown on one side (about 3-4 minutes), flip and brown the other side. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot or lukewarm . . . also good room temperature if they don’t sit too long. (Note: if you double the recipe, you can keep the earlier batches warm in a low oven while frying the later batches). THESE ARE GREAT – EVEN KIDS AND SQUASH-HATERS LOVE THEM!!
Easy Ratatouille
(from CSA Member Susan M.)
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 zucchini or yellow squash, sliced
1 large or 2 small cans Italian style stewed tomatoes (or any canned tomato)
1 can chickpeas, drained
Few leaves fresh basil, snipped
Salt and pepper to taste
OPTIONAL: Parmesan or Romano (grated or shredded)
In saucepan, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil. Add zucchini slices and sauté a few minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Add tomatoes (with juice), chickpeas and basil. Mix and cook on medium on stovetop with lid half off to allow some evaporation. Cook for 1 ½ - 2 hours. Tastes even better the second day! Serve with Parmesan or Romano if desired. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Alternatives:
1.Double or triple the recipe. Place in a casserole dish and bake, covered, for 1-2 hours at 350 degrees. During the last 15 minutes, remove lid, cover with grated mozzarella and parmesan/romano cheese and continue baking until the top is golden brown.
2.Use as a topping for pasta, grilled meat or portabella mushroom caps.
Pickled Baby Squash
Makes about 6 cups
30 minutes to prepare
Allow 3 days for flavors to develop
2 1/2 pounds baby summer squash (or larger squash cut into 1/2-inch rounds)
1 medium onion, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rings
2 cups cider vinegar
1 cup water
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
8 whole allspice, slightly crushed
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
Blanch squash and onion in a medium pot of well-salted boiling water 2 minutes. Immediately transfer with a slotted spoon to an ice bath to stop cooking. Let stand until cool, then drain and transfer vegetables to a large glass or ceramic bowl.
Bring remaining ingredients with 4 teaspoon salt to a boil in a nonreactive medium saucepan, then pour over vegetables. Put a plate with a 3-pound weight (such as 2 large cans) on top to keep vegetables submerged.
Cool, then chill (with weight) at least 3 days for flavors to develop.
Keeps for 2 weeks, refrigerated
Summer Squash Bread and Butter Pickles
Makes 6 (1-pint) jars
4 lb small yellow squash and green zucchini, scrubbed and cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds (12 cups)
2 large onions, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons canning salt
1 quart crushed ice
2 1/4 cups cider vinegar
1 cup pure maple syrup
3/4 cup water
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon whole allspice
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
6 (4- to 5-inch-long) fresh red chiles such as Holland red hot finger peppers
Special equipment: 6 (1-pint) canning jars with lids and screw bands
Toss together yellow squash, zucchini, and onions with 1/4 cup canning salt and crushed ice in a large bowl. Press a plate directly onto vegetables and place a 5-pound weight on top (a bag of sugar in a sealed plastic bag works well). Let stand at room temperature 4 hours.
Sterilize jars and lids .
Bring vinegar, syrup, water, mustard seeds, allspice, celery seeds, and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons canning salt to a boil in a 3-quart saucepan, then simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.
Cut a lengthwise slit in each chile (don't cut all the way through), then add chiles to pickling liquid and continue to simmer 1 minute.
Drain jars upside down on a clean kitchen towel 1 minute, then invert.
Drain vegetables in a colander set over a bowl to catch liquid, then pack into jars, tucking a chile pepper into side of each jar. Fill jars with pickling liquid, leaving 1/4 inch of space at top, then run a thin knife between vegetables and jar to eliminate air bubbles.
Seal, process, and store filled jars , boiling pickles in jars 20 minutes.
Let pickles stand in jars at least 1 week for flavors to develop.
Crispy Squash Coins
1/2 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 cups thinly sliced summer squash (about 1 pound)
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 450°.
Combine first 3 ingredients; stir well.
Dip the squash slices in egg whites; dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Place squash in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for 20 minutes. Turn squash over; bake an additional 15 minutes or until outside is crispy and browned. Yield: 4 servings
Pattypan squash New Orleans
Makes 4 servings
8-10 pattypan squash (about 5-inch diameter)
1 1/2 c water
1 large white onion, chopped
1 small bay leaf
1 c crushed cooked tomatoes
1/4 c freshly chopped parsley
1/4 tsp Tabasco Sauce
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 c cooked brown or white rice
1/4 c freshly chopped parsley
Cut squash into wedges; simmer in a deep pot with water, onion, and bay leaf until tender. Drain but reserve cooking liquid. Discard bay leaf.
Mash vegetables with fork; place in microwave-safe serving dish. Mix in tomatoes, parsley, Tabasco, salt and pepper. Add rice and liquid as needed to keep moist. Stir well, reheat in
microwave, and serve garnished with parsley.
Oven-roasted squash
Makes 4 servings
2 Tbsp olive oil
2-3 Tbsp lemon pepper
1 Tbsp dried rosemary
1 lb small red potatoes, scrubbed,
cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 1/4 lbs squash: zucchini, small pattypan, summer and/or crookneck (use a combination if
possible), in 1-inch dice
1 large red onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
Put oil, lemon pepper, rosemary (crush first) and potatoes into plastic bag. Shake well to coat.
Add squash to bag; shake again to coat.
Spread vegetables on shallow baking pan. Roast at 400 degrees 30 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees, stir vegetables, and continue roasting until brown, about 20 minutes
Italian-style Nutty zucchini
4 medium zucchini (or other summer squash!)
1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. coarsely
chopped walnuts
2 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
Grated peel and juice of 1 lemon
Black pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp salt
Quarter zucchini lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces.
Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini. Cook and stir until almost tender.
Add walnuts and thyme. Cook 1 minute. Zucchini should still be bright green. Remove from heat.
Toss with lemon peel and juice, pepper, and salt. Serve hot.
Zucchini with chopped tomatoes
1 tsp soft margarine
2 small onion, chopped
4 small (6-inch) zucchini, thinly sliced
2 tomatoes, chopped
Black pepper, to taste
In a large nonstick skillet, melt margarine over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté until softened.
Add zucchini; sauté 2 minutes.
Add tomatoes; cook for 3-5 minutes, or until zucchini is tender-crisp. Season with pepper, and serve.
Zucchini bread
3 eggs
1 cup canola oil
1 3/4 c sugar
3 c flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp each ground ginger and mace
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp baking soda
2 c grated zucchini
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Beat eggs, oil and sugar inbowl. Add zucchini and vanilla; stir well.
In separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, mace, allspice and soda. Add to egg mixture; mix well. Stir in nuts.
Spoon into two greased and floured 8 1/2- by 4 1/2-inch loaf pans.
Bake at 350 degrees 50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes in pan, then remove from pan.
Zucchini and tomatoes with pasta
16 oz medium-sized pasta
6 Tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 medium zucchinis, halved lengthwise and in 1/4-inch slices
2 fresh tomatoes, diced
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 c chopped fresh basil
1 (6-oz) can sliced black olives
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Cook pasta according to package directions. When done, drain and keep hot.
Meanwhile, heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Sauté garlic and zucchini until tender, 3-5 minutes.
Add tomatoes, pepper flakes, basil, and black olives; season with salt and pepper. Simmer 10
minutes.
Toss vegetables hot pasta and serve.
Sautéed zucchini
1 tsp vegetable oil
2 lbs zucchini, in 1/2 inch slices
1/2 c bread crumbs, toasted
1/4 c minced fresh parsley
2 Tbsp minced dry-roasted almonds
1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
Ground black pepper to taste
In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add zucchini; cook and stir 5-8
minutes, or until just tender and lightly browned. Remove from heat.
Combine crumbs, parsley, almonds, Parmesan, oregano and optional garlic. Add to zucchini; toss and serve.
Potato-zucchini pancakes
Makes 4 servings
2 medium potatoes, scrubbed
2 small zucchini
2 eggs
1 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
Shred potatoes and zucchini. Place in bowl. Add eggs and onion powder; mix well.
Heat 1 tsp oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, spoon mixture, 1/4 cup at a time, into heated skillet. Leave an inch or more between pancakes.
Cook 5 minutes or light brown on bottom; turn and cook on second side 3-5 minutes or until browned. Use remaining oil for remaining batches of pancakes.
Serve with your choice of condiments: marinara sauce, ketchup, applesauce, sour cream, or a mixture of 3/4 c sour cream and 1/4 c yellow mustard.
Dave's Famous Zucchini
-Dave E.
3-4 small zucchini, sliced thin
3-4 small yellow summer squash, sliced thin
1 onion, chopped
3-4 chopped garlic cloves
extra virgin olive oil
small amount basil and/or oregano
4-6 Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
1-2 small hot peppers, chopped (optional)
any other desired summer vegetables
½ – 1 c. wine (white is prettier; red gives more flavor)
1-1 ½ c. cheddar cheese, shredded
salt and pepper to taste
Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Cook onions, peppers, and garlic until clear. Remove from pan.
Add more olive oil to pan and cook squashes. Add salt and pepper. Once squash is almost cooked, add onion, peppers, and garlic back in, and add tomatoes.
Once tomatoes have cooked down, add wine and herbs. Cover and let flavors meld and cook some liquid out.
Just before serving, top with cheese and allow to melt.
Serve as main dish or as a side.
Two-squash bake
1 c chopped yellow onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp oil
3 c shredded zucchini and yellow squash
1 c shredded carrots
1 c shredded red potatoes (skin on)
Pinch crushed dried oregano
Salt to taste
1/2 c toasted wheat germ
Sauté onion and garlic in oil until brown.
Place shredded squash, carrots, and potatoes into large bowl. Mix well. Add oregano and salt.
Oil a deep 2-quart baking dish. Press half the shredded vegetables into dish. Top with half the onions and half the wheat germ. Repeat layers.
Cover and bake at 400 degrees 30 minutes; uncover and bake 10 minutes more. (Add a bit of hot water if dry.)
Serve with crusty whole wheat bread.