From A to Zucchini

We’ve come to the point of maximum squash in the summer growing season. Neighbor gardeners are offering it for free, farmer’s markets are chocked with it, and prices at the supermarket are reaching seasonal lows. For me, a little zucchini goes a long way. It’s too bad that summer squash doesn’t get more respect. After all, it’s full of vitamins C, A, and B6, and a cup produces less than 20 calories. But when you prepare it the usual way, it’s loaded with meat and cheese, which kind of cancels out the low-cal benefits.

When I was a young cook, I used to prepare a stuffed zucchini dish from classic Italian cookbook, The Romagnolis’ Table. After cutting the zucchini in two-inch rounds and coring them, you stuff them with meatball mixture, then braise them in tomato and onion sauce. With that memory, I decided to see if I could find other appealing ways to use summer squash.

What I found were some creative ways to make a meal featuring zucchini. Some looked like my old favorite Italian dish: bulgur-stuffed zucchini, chicken chowder-stuffed zucchini, and burrito zucchini boats. Similarly, they involved making a stuffing mixture, scooping out the center of a split zucchini, then baking the stuffed halves in the oven. For those who wish, some of the dishes include meat and some include cheese. Some even include both.

I found yellow squash with wild mushrooms and zucchini lattice pasta. Both involved slicing the squash lengthwise, then adding the thin slices to a casserole. The squash with mushrooms is a quick meal sautéed in butter on the stove. And the zucchini lattice lasagna is baked in the oven just like a traditional lasagna. In this case, the zucchini slices take the place of the pasta noodles. And how about squash gratin with poblanos and cream or a spicy sausage pasta with tomatoes and squash?

Finally, Mrs. Farmboy weighed in with zucchini quiche, a favorite in her college days from another classic cookbook, The Vegetarian Epicure. Trust me – this one is delicious.

What do you do with all that squash this time of year?

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