| Yield | 4 |
|---|---|
| Prep Time | 1 hours |
| Recipes | Vegetables |
| Seasons | Summer |
| Yield | 4 |
|---|---|
| Prep Time | 1 hours |
| Recipes | Vegetables |
| Seasons | Summer |
This is a great way to take advantage of the incredible piles of summer squash--zucchini, crooknecks, patty pans, what have you--that inevitably build up in the gardener's kitchen.
Cut the squash into large, bite-sized chunks. For the average zucchini-like squash, this means cut in half and then in lengths about as long as a finger joint. Parboil the squash in lightly salted boiling water for about a minute, until the skin color brightens. Drain and place in a bowl big enough to toss everything like a salad.
Dress with good quality olive oil (the best you can afford is what you should always use on salad-y things) and balsamic vinegar. I don't give quantities because you should adjust to taste and the amount of squash you have. Let's say for a good-sized bowl of squash chunks, a quarter-cup of oil and a quarter-cup of vinegar. That's probably a lot, but better to have too much than not enough and you can always use what drains to the bottom of the bowl again in a salad as a vinaigrette.
Chop the herbs well, but not too finely; if using dried herbs, crush them between your hands. Fresh, use a good handful of assorted herbs; dried, use about two teaspoons--cup your palm, fill the little hollow, that's about enough. Add to the squash. Season with salt and pepper; taste, and adjust the seasonings. Store covered in the fridge til cool.
Delicious the first day, better the second.
Experiment with different varieties of summer squash, including mixes, and with different varieties of herbs for different flavors. Our favorite is yellow crookneck with lemon thyme.