Summer squash fills the dinner plate
When the temperatures rose to triple digits last weekend, we
decided to keep the house cool by cooking outdoors. Sometimes even
putting the stove on can make the temperatures in our little house
jump 10 degrees.
Summer squash fills the dinner plate
When the temperatures rose to triple digits last weekend, we decided to keep the house cool by cooking outdoors. Sometimes even putting the stove on can make the temperatures in our little house jump 10 degrees.
It was easy enough to decide what protein to cook – we had a frozen tri-tip from a few weeks ago that we bought on sale at a local grocery store. We figured we’d drop it in a marinade of olive oil, dark beer, vinegar and spices for a few hours before firing up the grill.
As for the vegetables, we knew we had a bowl full of fresh tomatoes and zucchini. The tomatoes worked well into a garden salad, but as for the zucchini we decided to find a way to cook it that would require no indoor cooking and little clean-up.
I discovered a recipe for scalloped zucchini this summer when I watched an episode of “Dear Food Network.” On the summer series, viewers wrote in with questions about summer cooking, and different Food Network chefs shared their answers. One viewer wanted ideas for vegetables on the grill. Aida Mollenkamp shared her recipe for scalloped zucchini. The great thing about the recipe is that the vegetables – we use both zucchini and red potatoes – are cooked in a foil packet so there are few dishes to clean up. The flavor of shallots and thyme, which are sprinkled on top of the layered vegetables, permeates the entire packet. And a little bit of shredded cheese adds a little extra flavor to the dish.
Of course, zucchini is great on the stove top, too. My family often eats it sauteed with butter and garlic until it is soft and almost creamy.
Here are three recipes to enjoy the summer squash, whether cooked or raw.
Aida’s scalloped zucchini
Recipe courtesy of Aida Mollenkamp
Olive oil
2 lbs. zucchini, ends trimmed and sliced into 1/4-inch thick coins
Salt
4 (12 by 18-inch) pieces aluminum foil
2 c. shredded aged Cheddar
2 medium shallots, thinly sliced (about 1 c.)
4 tsp. minced garlic (from about 4 medium cloves)
Freshly ground black pepper
4 tsp. all-purpose flour
16 thyme sprigs
Heat grill to 350 degrees F (medium heat) and oil well.
Place zucchini in a sieve set over a bowl, salt well, toss to coat, and set aside to let drain, at least 5 minutes.
When ready to cook, oil 1 piece of aluminum foil on 1 side. Sprinkle 1/4 c. cheese in the middle of the foil to form a rectangle, shingle 1/4 of the zucchini over cheese (about 3 rows of 8 zucchini coins). Sprinkle 1/4 c. of the shallots and 1 tsp. of garlic evenly over top, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Top with another 1/4 c. cheese, sprinkle with 1 tsp. all-purpose flour, and top with 4 sprigs of thyme. Enclose foil tightly to form a packet and repeat to make 4 packets.
Place the packets on the grill and cook until zucchini is soft and cooked through, turning once, about 10 minutes total.
Zucchini al Formaggio
Recipe courtesy of Sandra Lee
4 medium zucchini, sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp. Italian seasoning (recommended: McCormick)
1/2 c. grated Parmesan (recommended: DiGiorno), plus shaved Parmesan, for garnish
2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat a large saute pan with olive oil over high heat. Add zucchini slices and saute for 5 minutes until slightly brown and tender. Add remaining ingredients, except shaved Parmesan, and toss to combine.
Remove to serving bowl with slotted spoon. Top with shaved Parmesan and serve hot.
Summer squash carpaccio
Recipe courtesy of Food Network magazine
1 yellow squash, sliced lengthwise, in thin slices
1 zucchini, sliced lengthwise, in thin slices
2 lemons, juiced and grated
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp, mixed fresh herbs, such as parsley, basil and thyme
1 tbsp. pecorino, grated
Salt and pepper to taste
Thinly slice 1 yellow squash and 1 zucchini lengthwise (a mandoline works best); arrange a few slices on a plate in a single layer. Sprinkle with minced shallots and chopped mixed herbs, drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Repeat to make about 5 layers. Top with grated pecorino; let marinate for 20 minutes.
