Tag Archives: Summer Squash

Stuffed Squash

Posted on by
  • 3 medium to large summer squash (zucchini or patty pan)
  • 1 medium onion
  • 4 large cloves garlic
  • 1 medium carrot, diced
  • 4 stalks celery, diced
  • 1 cup mushrooms, chopped
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 cups rice, cooked (basmati gives a nice flavor)
  • 6 oz. cream cheese, cubed
  • Pepper
  • Grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Cut the squash in half and scoop out as much of  the flesh as possible (this can be tricky with the patty pans).  Chop the insides.  Sauté the onion in the oil until it starts to brown.  Add the minced garlic, mushrooms, carrot and celery and cook a few moments more.  Add the squash flesh and the salt and cook on fairly high heat until most of the liquid has evaporated.  Remove pan from heat and stir in the cream cheese cubes.  Cover for a few minutes to soften the cream cheese.   Stir in the rice and pepper.  Taste and add salt if necessary.  Fill the squash shells and place in an oiled 9×14-inch baking pan.  Sprinkle with parmesan.  Add water to cover the bottom of the pan about 1/4 inch deep.  Bake, with the dish covered with foil, for 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake for another 5-10 minutes until filling has browned a little.

Inspired by  New Recipes from Moosewood Restaurant.

Ratatouille

Posted on by
  • 1 eggplant, diced
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2-3 zucchini, sliced
  • 1 sweet pepper, chopped
  • ½ lb. green beans
  • 4-5 tomatoes
  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 2 sprigs of basil, finely chopped

If you wish, blanch and peel tomatoes, seed, and chop.  Tomatoes can also just be chopped and used skin, seeds and all.  Heat olive oil over medium heat, add onions and garlic, and saute until translucent.  Add eggplant and zucchini, turn up heat and cook until they start to brown.  Add sweet pepper, green beans and chopped tomatoes.  Bring to a simmer, add salt, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add basil in the last five minutes.  Taste and adjust seasonings.  This can be served hot or cold.  Ratatouille can also be frozen: it keeps its taste well and is a wonderful reminder of summer in the winter months.

Pizza Primavera

Posted on by

For the dough:

  • ½ tsp. active yeast
  • ¼ cup warm water
  • 1 ½ cups unbleached flour
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 2 Tbs. olive oil

For the topping:

  • 2-3 fresh onions, thinly sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves thinly sliced
  • 2 Tbs. olive oil
  • 6 large plum tomatoes (canned or frozen)
  • 2 zucchini, thinly sliced
  • ¼ – ½ cup sliced black olives
  • ½ cup thinly sliced mushrooms
  • 1 cup grated mozzarella or 8-oz. soft goat cheese

In a small bowl, stir the yeast in the water and set aside until foamy.  Place flour in a large bowl and make a well in the center.  Add the beaten egg and olive oil in the well and begin incorporating the flour.  As you mix, stir in the dissolved yeast.  Continue mixing until a supple dough forms; you may need to adjust either the water or flour.  Knead the dough until silky smooth, transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover loosely with wax paper and let rest.  Meanwhile, in a heavy saucepan or casserole, cook the onions and garlic in the olive oil over low heat until thoroughly softened and lightly golden; approx. 20 mins.  Add chopped tomatoes and cook, stirring often until the mixture is very thick; approx. 15 mins.  Season with salt and pepper and let cool.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees, divide the dough into two pieces and roll each piece out into an 8 inch crust.  Place the crusts on a lightly oiled cookie sheet, spread with the onion mixture, scatter zucchini, mushrooms, olives etc. and top with your choice of cheese.  If using the goat chesse or other soft cheese scatter in small pieces.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is golden.  Can be served hot or at room temperature.

Lonnie’s Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Posted on by
  • ½ cup soft butter
  • ½ cup cooking oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 ½ cup sugar (can be reduced)
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 2 ½ cups flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ½ cup chocolate chips
  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • 4 Tbs. cocoa
  • 2 cups grated zucchini
  • ¼ cup chopped nuts
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon

Mix oil, butter, eggs, sugar, vanilla and milk together.  Add cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  Mix well. Add flour and mix well.  Add zucchini, chocolate chips and nuts and mix. Divide the batter into 2 well greased loaf pans or one well greased 13 x 9 in baking dish. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until a tooth pick poked into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Leek and Tomato Sauce

Posted on by
  • 2 leeks
  • 2 Tbs butter
  • 2 Tbs olive oil
  • 1 zucchini
  • 1 sweet pepper
  • 4 medium tomatoes
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • salt and pepper to taste

Chop all vegetables (approx. ¼ inch).  Peel tomatoes, if desired.  Saute leeks in butter and olive oil until translucent.  Add zucchini, sweet pepper and garlic and saute five minutes longer.  Add tomatoes, cover and cook twenty minutes.  Taste and add salt and pepper.  Serve over any pasta or firm white fish.  This recipe can be expanded with carrots, celery, beans or just about any other vegetable you like.

Insalata di Zucchine

Posted on by
  • 1 pound very thinly sliced zucchini
  • salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 12 large slivers parmagiano cheese
  • juice of 1 large lemon
  • fresh Italian parsley leaves
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Remove their ends and soak the zucchini in a bowl of cold water with a little coarse salt added for half an hour to remove bitter taste. Drain the zucchini, rinse them under cold running water, pat dry with paper towels, and use a mandoline or truffle cutter to thinly slice them. Place the zucchini in a crockery or glass bowl and season with the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Refrigerate, covered, for at least half an hour.  When ready, transfer the thinly sliced zucchini to a serving platter, arrange the cheese slivers on top, serve with the Italian parsley leaves.

Adapted from Bugialli’s Italy.

Grilled Zucchini and Red Onion Salad

Posted on by
  • 6 small zucchini, quartered lengthwise
  • 1 large red onion, cut into ½” slices
  • ¼ c. plus 2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 ¼ c. feta, crumbled
  • 1/3 c. pitted kalamata or nicoise olives, chopped
  • salt and pepper

Sprinkle zucchini with 1 tsp. salt and set on baking sheet lined with paper towels. Let sit for 15 minutes, then pat dry and cut into 2” pieces. Brush zucchini and onion slices with 2 Tbs. of olive oil, sprinkle with 1 ½ tsp. thyme and some black pepper. Sprinkle onions lightly with salt.

Prepare a medium-hot grill. set the vegetables on grill, cover if using a gas grill, and cook without touching so that the vegetables brown and get good grill marks, about 4 minutes. Flip and continue cooking so that other sides brown and the zucchini is just tender, about 5 minutes.

Transfer zucchini to a serving platter and continue to cook onions over a cooler part of fire until they start to soften (10 more minutes).  Add onions to platter with zucchini.

In a small bowl, whisk lemon juice, ½ tsp. salt and remaining ¼ cup of olive oil together with 1 ½ tsp thyme and black pepper. Drizzle over vegetables. Sprinkle with feta and olives and serve immediately or let sit for up to 1 hour at room temperature before serving.

Serves 8.

From Fooday 8/7/07

Grilled Summer Squash Marinade

Posted on by
  • 3-4 Tbs rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
  • chopped fresh herbs (oregano, parsley, thyme, rosemary etc)
  • dash of Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ cup olive oil

Place garlic and salt in bottom of a bowl and mash together with a fork.  Add vinegar, Worcestershire and herbs, mix well.  Whisk in olive oil.  Cut squash lengthwise and toss in marinade.  Let sit at least 20 minutes.  Grill over hot coals until browned on both sides.  Place grilled squash back into the bowl containing the remaining marinade before serving.

Greek Taverna Zucchini with Lemon

Posted on by

This recipe is excellent.  We thought it was even better the next day.

  • 4 zucchini
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • large pinch of salt
  • large pinch dried oregano
  • juice of ½ lemon
  • 4 Tbs. olive oil
  • freshly ground pepper
  • 15 olives

Slice zucchinis in half lengthwise then cut into large chunks.  Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add zucchini and cook 10-15 minutes or until quite soft.  Drain.  Crush the garlic in a mortar in pestle with the salt, then rub it into the cut surfaces of the zucchini.  Sprinkle with oregano, lemon juice and olive oil.  Season with pepper.  Garnish with the olives and serve at room temperature.

Serves 4.

From The San Francisco Chronicle Cookbook vol. 2.