JULY 29, 2010 ISSUE
Mountain Living
Pick Squash Early Campaign
Ready to HarvestYes, I am continuing my 'Eat Your Squash Young' campaign. Pick or buy them when they are very small. I have even gone from harvesting the day they bloom to picking some before they have flowered. When the baby squash still has its unopened bud this vegetable is tender, creamy and has a sweetness that makes every squash dish a summer treat.
All squash are better this way and my favorites become extraordinary. After years of growing different zucchini we now plant only Costat Romanesca, often the Gadzukes variety. It grows large but is best small with two-toned pale and dark green fruits that are sweet, nutty and creamy. All of the yellow squash shine when harvested young, too, and we are growing Early Prolific Straightneck, Sunray Hybrid and old fashioned Yellow Crookneck.
One of the most delicious things that can happen to lovely little baby squash is to combine them with pasta or turn them into 'pasta.' When the low carb phase was peaking this was one of the suggested dishes and it got a bad reputation. To start, people used those big bad squash and, then, if you are expecting pasta and you get squash you are going to be disappointed. Instead, enjoy delicate ribbons of squash and appreciate them for their own goodness.
Squash Pasta Ribbons
You must have tender squash for this to work. Big, watery, tough ones cannot turn into tender ribbons of 'squash pasta.' Any variety will work for this and if you have a mixture of pale and dark green, white and yellow summer squashes the dish will be very pretty. Peanut oil can be heated until very hot without burning and is easy to use for this dish. If you have a nice heavy skillet and can watch everything carefully and stir quickly then consider using extra virgin olive oil. It is more challenging but the flavor is fabulous. Plan to make this just before serving. You really should have everyone at the table as you begin. Try this with traditional Italian tomato sauce or with little meatballs in sauce. Covering this with the following squash sauce sounds like a lot of squash on one plate, but when we tested it, we found it to be delicious.
Ingredients:
Several small tender yellow squash or zucchini
Oil
Salt
Preparation:
Find your biggest, heavy skillet. Let it get very hot.
While your pan is heating wash your squash and dry it well. Cut the squash into very thin slices. You want it as thin as possible and as long as possible.
If you have a mandolin this will go quickly but use the guard and be careful.
If you have a nice sharp vegetable peeler that may be the best of all. Cut long thin slices with the peeler and try to include some of the tender skin with each section.
If all you have is a knife try to make sure it is a very sharp knife and cut the slices as thin as you can.
Once you have slices you can use them that way or you can cut the slices into thin strips so the squash looks like fettuccine.
Add a little bit of oil to the pan. You want it to cover the bottom but not pool anywhere. If you like to measure there should be about a sixteenth of an inch of oil over the entire bottom of the pan.
Quickly add all of your 'squash pasta' to the pan and cook stirring constantly until it is browned in places and wilted. If you can use a heavy skillet that can be heated on high this will take one or two minutes.
Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately, plain or topped with tomato sauce, cream sauce
or...
Squash Pasta Sauce
When small tender squash are grated they almost melt into the rest of the ingredients making the creamiest most delicious sauce that also has an interesting texture that works well with any pasta. You can use any type or color of summer squash just make sure they are young, sweet and tender. No, of course I do not usually measure these ingredients. I harvest whatever is ripe and combine that for dinner. I did measure so you could have a good idea of proportions but if you have more corn use more corn etc. The sauce is already creamy but when you add just a little actual cream the texture becomes sublime. You can use any color corn and tomatoes to go with the squash so think about what will look pretty on the plates. Yellow squash, with yellow corn and yellow tomatoes made an especially delicious sauce that looked rich and buttery and creamy.
Ingredients:
About 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
About 6 cups grated yellow squash or zucchini or a mixture
1 cup fresh corn kernels, cut off of the cob
3 big garlic cloves
4 cups diced fresh tomato
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup heavy cream, optional
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
About 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
For serving: cooked pasta and freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Preparation:
Heat the oil in a very large, heavy skillet. Grate the squash and add it to the hot pan immediately. Cook, stirring constantly until the squash has some browned bits and has wilted. It will reduce considerably. Cut the corn off the cob and add it to the squash. Continue cooking and stirring another minute or two. Add a little more olive oil if the mixture sticks to the pan.
Peel the garlic and mince. Add the minced garlic to the squash and cook, stirring constantly, another minute or two until you smell the heavenly garlic aroma. Be careful not to let the garlic burn.
Wash and core the tomatoes and cut them into small pieces, about 1/2 inch square, but this is a rough chop so you don't need to be precise. Add the tomatoes to the pan with the vinegar and simmer until reduced and thickened. Time will vary because some tomatoes are so much juicier than others but it will probably take about 10 minutes.
Add the heavy cream if you want an even richer creamier sauce and bring back up to the simmer. Season with salt and pepper and tear the basil leaves into pieces to add just before serving.
Spoon over spaghetti or penne or any freshly cooked pasta and top with some grated cheese.
To make a comment, ask a question or find out more about sources, contact Amy at amycookehcp@bellsouth.net.
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