Make summer squash the star of your plate

You can use any summer squash you want – no need to limit yourself to zucchini or zucchini. As Hetty Lui McKinnon wrote in his last cookbook, “Tenderheart: A Cookbook About Vegetables and Unbreakable Family Bonds” (Knopf, $40), “In terms of taste and texture, some summer squash contain less water, or are nuttier or firmer, but they are largely interchangeable, which makes cooking with them in the summer so difficult. seasonal delight.

The suggestions below take this seasonal strategy but experiment with what you like. “Summer squash is pretty bland, but that means it pairs incredibly well with all summer herbs and vegetables,” said Deborah Madison in 2013’s “Vegetable Literacy” (Ten Speed, $40). “Their neutrality actually makes them quite versatile. »

Small (6 ounces or less)

Small, early-season squashes don’t need much decoration and are excellent served raw. In her 2017 cookbook, “Six Seasons: A New Way With Vegetales” (Artisan, $40), Chef Joshua McFadden said he always opts for raw preparation “when I get the really young and fresh ones. These firm specimens are also perfect for pickling, sliced ​​very thinly on a mandolin into pliable ribbons.

Use a vegetable peeler or mandolin to cut very thin slices and spread them on a plate. Drizzle them with your best extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice or white wine vinegar. Sprinkle them with flaked salt and freshly ground pepper. For a bolder flavor, do like Arielle Johnson in her new book “Flavorama: A Guide to Unlocking the Art and Science of Flavor” (Harvest, $40). and add a pinch of MSG. “This will make the (squash) silky crunch super rich and intensely flavored, and will increase the saltiness and sweetness while reducing the bitterness,” she said.

Or treat a thinly sliced ​​squash as you would a cucumber and marinate it. The water content is similar, so any quick brine will do. Squash works especially well as a bread and butter pickle. For every little slice squash, toss with a thinly sliced ​​shallot and a tablespoon of kosher salt in a medium bowl. Cover with ice and let sit for 30 minutes, then drain, rinse, and pack in a sterilized canning jar. For the brine, combine apple cider vinegar, sugar, and water in a 3:2:1 ratio in a small saucepan. Add a few pinches of ground mustard, a pinch of turmeric, and a whole clove. Bring to a boil to dissolve the sugar. Pour immediately over the squash, let cool, and refrigerate before serving.

Medium (8 ounces)

Slightly larger specimens do best when seared or charred on a grill, under a broiler, or in a pan shimmering with olive oil. According to McFadden, “When cooking squash, I always turn up the heat—squash needs a hot, quick treatment, which will brown the outside and enhance the flavors while preventing the inner flesh from overcooking and to become soggy.”

If you have time, you can salt the squash before cooking, as you would an eggplant. Salting the squash and letting it sit for 30 minutes will remove excess water and make it easier to char without becoming mushy. If you don’t have time, season at the very last moment before cooking so that the water that comes out does not interfere with browning.

To grill or grill, slice the squash longitudinal, into slabs approximately 1/2 inch thick. Use the highest heat on a grill or on a rack closest to a grill set to high. Grease the grill or place a rack on a baking sheet to grill. Lightly coat the squash with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and place the squash on the stove until it begins to char, then flip and cook on the second side – this one is always quicker than the first.

To sear, cut your squash into slices into 1/4-inch-thick rounds and add to shimmering oil in a heavy skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Keep the squash in a single layer; Depending on the volume and size of your pan, you may need to sear in batches as you would meat. Sprinkle the rounds with salt when they touch the pan. Flip when you see charcoal on the first side and season with a little more salt.

Lemon zest, lemon juice, a handful of roughly chopped sweet herbs (mint, parsley, dill, basil – choose your favorite) and toasted nuts or breadcrumbs are a nice and easy way to dress up squash charred.

Larger (12 ounces)

As squash get bigger later in the summer, it’s best to give them more cooking time to soften the flesh. The simplest method is to dice or thickly wedge them, then cook them slowly in melted butter over medium-low heat. You can do this method with squash alone or sauté onion, garlic, and an anchovy or two before adding the squash. Allow a cooking time of 10 to 15 minutes: you want the flesh to soften but not completely disintegrate. Don’t worry when you see the skin darkening and turning brown. You want to “cook them long enough for a definite squash flavor to emerge,” Madison said. “Our penchant for undercooked vegetables hasn’t been good for summer squash. If you overcook them, you may discover that they taste like squash.

Larger squashes are also perfect for stirring into soup. To do this, sweat a small chopped onion in olive oil over medium heat until softened. Add approx. 1 pound chopped squash and enough water to cover. Season with salt and bring to a boil. Leave to simmer until the vegetables are very tender. Remove from the heat, add a generous spoonful of umami-rich white miso, then blend with a hand blender until smooth. Add a drizzle of cream or a spoonful of full-fat yoghurt. Thin with additional water if desired. Cool, then season again with salt and pepper before serving with a drizzle of olive oil.

In his 2014 book, “Plenty More” (Ten Speed, $35), Yotam Ottolenghi introduced the idea of ​​grilling whole zucchini to turn them into dips — another fantastic idea for transforming oversized squash. He writes: “I don’t know why we don’t grill the zucchini more. Introducing a little smoke into naturally bland flesh is a revelation. Once it’s charred and soft, remove the skin, drain excess liquid into a colander, transfer to a bowl and mash the squash with the garlic, yogurt and lemon. McKinnon takes a similar tactic, charring whole zucchini in a pan before adding tahini, lemon and oil for a baba ghanoush-like dip. Some chili oil drizzled on top would be a nice touch on either variation.

Largest (1 pound or more)

Although McFadden doesn’t believe in using a summer squash unless it’s small, gigantic, late-season squash can still be useful. Grate them with a grater and use their watery, fibrous texture to your advantage. Since larger squashes do not have a strong flavor, they can, when grated, become an easily “hidden” vegetable in a dinner for picky kids.

Finely grated squash is a great addition to ground poultry for making burgers and meatballs. The extra water and fiber in the squash keeps the meat moist, even when the lean meat is fully cooked. Add about 1/2 cup grated squash and an equal amount of panko breadcrumbs to one pound of ground meat, season with one teaspoon of kosher salt and form into patties or meatballs. Sear or grill on all sides until cooked through.

Prepare the burgers with the flavors you want. In 2022I Dream of Dinner (So You Don’t Have to)” (Clarkson Potter, $29.99), Ali Slagle Adds Fennel Seeds, Red pepper flakes and fresh dill to ground chicken, boasting that the meat can’t be dry “with outrageously juicy zukes around it.” Or go the Sichuan direction with ginger, scallions, and sesame oil, then drizzle with a little chili crisp to serve.

To use up even more squash, try another Slagle idea: saute shredded strands (up to a few pounds!) in oil or butter until they melt almost completely into a puree and begin to brown . If necessary, you can add a little broth or water, then add a little lemon juice or vinegar and mix with al dente pasta. Just about anything you like on your pasta will work here for the topping: freshly grated parmesan, a shower of fresh herbs, toasted panko, toasted walnuts, or all of the above.

By August, I hope you’ll have enjoyed more squash than you did. in past years. Perhaps you will even consider them as McKinnon does: “A ray of sunshine on our plate, a dazzling star of summer meals.” »

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