How to store summer squash: keep in a plastic bag in the fridge, and try to use within 5 days.

Sara's Great Frittata Recipe:

2 lbs summer squash
Salt
Green onions(healthy fistful chopped)
Basil leaves(fistful again)
2 garlic cloves
4 eggs
1/4 Cup oil
1 Cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 Cup parnesan/pecorino cheese

The summer squash, green onions, and basil make a wonderful frittata.
In the main bowl of a food processor, grate about two pounds of summer squash. Put the squash in a colander and lightly salt. Leave to drain, and put the chopping blade in the food processor. Add a healthy fistful of onions and the leaves from a bunch of basil. Toss in a couple garlic cloves if you have them, and pulse until well chopped. In a big bowl, mix around a cup of flour with a couple teaspoons of baking powder and about a half cup of grated parmesan or pecorino romano cheese. Lightly beat four eggs and a quarter cup of oil (if you're feeling decadent and there are no vegetarians in the crowd, add a couple spoonfuls of bacon grease). Put the grated squash in a thin clean dishtowel or heavy duty paper towel and squeeze out excess liquid. Combine all the ingredients in the big bowl. You should have a thick, fragrant batter. Pour the batter into a greased 13x9 baking pan and sprinkle a little more cheese on top. Bake at 375 degrees until golden, about 30-45 minutes (it depends on the moistureleft in the squash). When cool, cut into squares and serve.
These make great appetizers or savory treats at a tea or coffee!

Thyme-Braised Zucchini in Creme Fraiche
Braising zucchini brings out their subtle, delicate flavor.
Serves 4

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 medium zucchini, about 1-1/4 lbs., trimmed and thinly sliced Salt and freshly ground black pepper Zest of one lemon and juice of ½ lemon
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh thyme
3/4 cup crème fraîche

Melt butter over low heat in skillet. Add zucchini, salt, pepper, lemon juice and thyme. Cover skillet and braise over low heat for 6-8 minutes, or until just tender. Uncover skillet. Gently fold in crème fraîche and just heat through. Correct seasoning and serve at once.

Concia Zucchini with Mint and Vinegar from Cucina Ebraica by Joyce Goldstein

4 to 6 small zucchini, about 1.5 pounds
salt
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint or basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 large cloves garlic, minced
6 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar

Cut the zucchini into 1/4 inch thick slices, or to prepare it Veneto fashion, cut the zucchini lengthwise into 1/4 inch thick slices. Sprinkle with salt and let stand in a colander for 30 minutes to drain off any bitter juices. Rinse and pat dry. In a small bowl, combine the mint or basil, parsley, and garlic.Warm the olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. In batches, add the zucchini and cook, turning as needed, until golden on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes.Transfer to a shallow serving dish and sprinkle with some of the mint mixture and some of the vinegar. Repeat with the rest of the zucchini, mint mixture, and vinegar. Leave at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours, basting occasionally with vinegar in the dish, before serving.

SPICY HAMBURGER RELISH
From Yolie’s kitchen

10 CUPS GROUND ZUCCHINI
3 CUPS GROUND ONION
4 GROUND BELL PEPPERS
Add 5 tablespoons of salt, mix well and let sit overnight. Next morning rinse thoroughly, let drain and in a large, nonreactive pot mix the drained vegetables with:
3 CUPS LIGHT BROWN SUGAR
3 CUPS WHITE VINEGAR
1 TABLESPOON OF CORNSTARCH
1 TSP. TURMERIC
1 TSP DRY MUSTARD
1 TSP NUTMEG
1 TSP COARSE BLACK PEPPER
10 GROUND JALAPENO PEPPERS
Mix well, bring to a boil and cook for 30 minutes. Meanwhile sterilize canning jars and seals. When mixture is ready, fill the hot jars to within a half inch of the rim, check for air bubbles and seal.

Process 10 minutes in a boiling water bath. Let cool in a draft free place. Makes approximately 7 pts. If using dark green zucchini, try using red bell peppers or red jalapenos for a pretty color

contrast. Use the relish as you would pickle relish or as a dip for crackers or vegetables. Light green zucchini and orange or yellow bell peppers are also a fun choice.

Jazar wa Kusa (Zucchini and Carrots, a recipe from Egypt)
adapted from Mediterranean Vegetables by Clifford Wright

2 large fat carrots, sliced diagonally about 1/4 inch thick (you can substitute baby carrots if your family haven’t already eaten them up as snacks)
2 zucchini, ends trimmed, sliced diagonally about 1/4 inch thick
1 teaspoon freshly ground cumin seeds
S & P to taste
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1. In a large bowl, toss the carrots and zucchini together with the cumin and sseaon with
S & P.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over med-low heat and cook the carrots and zucchini until crisply and tender, 25 to 30 minutes, tossing frequently. Serve hot.

Zucchini and Chickpeas
adapted from Mediterranean Vegetables by Clifford Wright

2 T olive oil
1 pound young zucchinis, trimmed and sliced about ½ inch thick
16 oz can chickpeas, drained
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
S & P to taste
2 T finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook the zucchini, chickpeas, garlic, salt and pepper until the zucchini are slightly soft, about 20 minutes. Toss with the parsley and serve hot or at room temperature. Makes 4 servings

Easy Zucchini Soufflé By Dave Holt (habanero_holt at yahoo.com)

Sauté:
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
5 zucchinis, 6-8" in length, sliced ¼" width
3 cloves garlic, pressed 5 scallions, diced

Soufflé:
6 eggs, size large
¾ cup sour cream
½ cup grated mozzarella cheese
½ cup grated monterey jack cheese
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon cardamom

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Prepare a 9x9 ceramic or glass baking disk with a light coating of extra virgin olive oil.

Soufflé Preparation:
Beat eggs and sour cream with a medium sized whisk until thoroughly mixed (This aerates the soufflé and allows us to skip the step of separating whites & yolks - thereby making this an "easy" soufflé). Add cheeses and seasonings and mix well with whisk. Add processed sauté mixture and mix well with whisk. Pour soufflé mixture into baking dish and place in oven, center rack. Bake for one hour at 325 degrees, or for forty minutes using a convection oven (soufflé is done when middle of soufflé has risen to same height as the periphery). Let cool for 10 minutes to set up before cutting and serving.

Serving Suggestions:
Serve with a dollop of sour cream on top of each serving.

Aunt Joan's Zucchini, as remembered by Julia

1.5 pounds summer squash, mixed or all one variety
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons olive oil
some chopped fresh basil
grated fresh parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Thinly slice the summer squash. Heat oil over moderate heat in medium-large frying pan. Add the minced garlic, and let cook for just a few seconds, don't let it brown. Then add the squash, spreading out in the pan so it can all cook evenly. Once the first layer is browned up a bit, stir it around the pan, letting the still-uncooked squash hit the oil below for a little browning. You can add a bit more oil at this point if you like. Add some salt and pepper to taste. Once it's all cooked (7-12 minutes), remove to a serving dish and top with the fresh chopped basil and the parmesan. Serves 3-4

Pasta with Zucchini, Lemon, Pine Nuts, and Herb adapted from The Greens Cook Book

1 pound corkscrew pasta (gemelli, rotelli, etc.)
8 ounces small, firm green or golden zucchini
1/2 c. mixed fresh herbs: Italian parsley, marjoram, basil, chervil, hyssop, oregano, lemon thyme and others (I used basil and thyme, but oregano and marjoram are also good. Avoid tarragon in this dish.)
1 lemon
6 T. virgin olive oil
5 T. pine nuts
1onion or 3 shallots, thinly sliced then roughly chopped
4 t. tiny capers, rinsed in water
2 sun-dried tomatoes, cut into narrow strips (I used 8 halves)
Salt & Pepper
Parmesan (grated, fresh)

Slice the zucchini diagonally into pieces about the same thickness as the pasta (matchstick size, 1/8" or so). Line up the slices and cut them into narrow matchsticks. Each one will be tipped with green or gold. Make a selection of fresh herbs from those suggested in the ingredients list. Pull the leaves off the stems and chop them, but not too finely. Include any flowers, such as the purple flowers of the basil or pink thyme blossoms. With a vegetable peeler, remove a thin strip of peel from the lemon and cut it into fine slivers. (I grated the peel.) Heat 2 T. olive oil in a small pan and add the pine nuts. Cook them until they begin to color; then add the shallots. Cook the two together over medium low heat until the shallots are soft and the pine nuts are brown. Transfer them to a wide bowl and add the rest of the oil, the capers, lemon peel, sun-dried tomatoes and herbs. Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper and 1/2 teaspoon or so lemon juice to taste. Add salt to the boiling water, drop in the zucchini and cook it about 1 minute. Scoop it out, shake off the water, and add it to the bowl with the other ingredients. Next, cook the pasta, scoop it out and add it to the bowl as well. Toss with a pair of tongs, so that the noodles are coated with the oil and herbs. Serve with the cheese passed separately. For a wine, serve a sauvignon blanc. Serves 2-4.

Baked Summer Squash with Pesto Crumbs
from More Recipes from a Kitchen Garden by Renee Shepherd
This can be served as a whole meal, over wild rice and garnished with toasted pecans.

3 lbs. Mixed summer squash
3 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. olive oil
1/4 cup half-and-half
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp. mace
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
2 shallots, minced
4 scallions, finely chopped
½ cup Pesto Bread Crumbs Recipe(see below)

Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly oil a 2 ½ to 3 quart casserole dish with cover. Trim squash and cut into large chunks (about 1 ½ inches). Arrange squash pieces in casserole and set aside. Melt butter and olive oil together in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients, blending thoroughly. Pour sauce mixture over squash, tossing until squash is coated. Cover casserole and bake 40 minutes. Toss squash gently and spoon juices and seasonings from the bottom of dish over squash. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and bake uncovered for 10 minutes longer, until squashes are tender when pierced with a knife.

Pesto Bread Crumbs

1 cup dry bread crumbs
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese
3 Tbs. roasted pine nuts
1 ½ cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Combine all ingredients in a food processor until thoroughly blended. After using, refrigerate any leftovers. Makes 2 cups.

Squash Pancakes

2 eggs
1/2C milk
4 medium summer squashes, grated
1/2C bread crumbs
1/2C grated cheese
1/3C each chopped fresh parsley, basil and cilantro
2T minced shallot or green onion
4T butter
1/4C flour

Mix together eggs and milk. Add squash, herbs and shallots. Then mix in the cheese. Add slowly the bread crumbs and flour and mix well. In a large, heavy, non-stick skillet, melt 1T butter until it starts to brown. Spoon about 1/4C of mixture into the pan and flatten a bit with the spoon. You might be able to fit 2 pancakes into the same pan at once. When the edges show a little browning turn with a spatula. Cook the other side until it is also golden brown. Keep pancakes warm in the oven until they are all cooked.

CREAM OF ZUCCHINI AND ANISE SOUP (CREME DE COURGETTES A L'ANIS)
Serve this soup either hot or cold.

2 tablespoons olive oil (preferably extra_virgin)
6 cups chopped zucchini (from about 6 medium zucchini)
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups water
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons fennel seeds
1 fresh thyme sprig
2 tablespoons crème fraîche or whipping cream
2 tablespoons Pernod or other anise_flavored liqueur
Additional olive oil
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped zucchini and chopped onion and sauté until onion is translucent, about 15 minutes. Add 2 cups water, chopped garlic, 1 1/2 tablespoons fennel seeds and thyme sprig. Stir in 2 tablespoons crème fraîche and 2 tablespoons Pernod. Simmer soup uncovered 20 minutes. Remove thyme sprig from soup. Working in batches, purée soup in processor until smooth. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Return to saucepan and rewarm over medium heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle with olive oil and serve. Serves 6. Bon Appétit

Summer Squash with Toasted Garlic and Lime

1 pound zucchini or yellow squash, cut into 1/2 inch cubes ( I prefer yellow squash)
1 scant tsp salt, plus more to season finished dish
2 tablespoons vegetable broth for sauteing
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice (can sub fresh lemon juice)
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper or to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano or 2 tsp freshly chopped oregano
2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley

1. Toss the squash with the salt and let stand in a colander for 30
minutes over a dish or in the sink. Rinse and pat dry.
2. In a large skillet, saute the garlic in the vegetable broth until
soft, about 3 minutes. Remove garlic and set aside. Raise heat to
medium-high.
3. Add squash to pan and saute for 8-10 minutes, until tender but a little crunchy.
4. Stir in lime juice, oregano, parsley, pepper, roasted garlic, and
salt to taste. Mix well.

Serves 2-4.

CREAMY ZUCCHINI SOUP
Nutmeg adds nice flavor to this soup.

1 1/2 pounds zucchini, cut into 1/2_inch pieces
1 1/2 cups canned low_salt chicken broth or water
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Bring zucchini and broth to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Reduce heat to medium_low, cover and simmer until zucchini is very tender, about 15 minutes. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until almost smooth. Return soup to same saucepan. Add cream, nutmeg and cheese; stir over medium heat until warm. Season with salt and pepper. Makes 4 servings. Bon Appétit

Paul's Zuke Soup

1 onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
3 pounds zucchini (8 or so medium ones), chopped
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups water
1/2 cup parsley leaves
3 Tbs. chopped fresh basil
4 strips bacon, fried, drained and crumbled
Salt and pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Store-bought or homemade croutons
Additional chopped basil for garnish

Place onion, garlic, zucchini, stock, water, parsley, basil, bacon and dashes of salt and pepper in a large stockpot. Simmer until zucchini is very tender. Process in a blender until very smooth. Adjust seasoning. Serve hot, sprinkled with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, croutons and additional chopped basil. Serves 6-8.

VEGETABLE KEBABS WITH MUSTARD BASTING SAUCE

16 baby carrots (about 8 ounces), peeled
16 baby yellow scallop squash* (about 8 ounces) or 3/4
pound yellow squash
16 baby zucchini (about 6 ounces) or 3/4 pound zucchini
16 red or white pearl onions (about 6 ounces)
1 1/2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 large red bell peppers (about 9 ounces), cut into sixteen
2-by-3/4-inch pieces
eight 12-inch bamboo skewers, soaked in water to cover 1
hour

In a large saucepan of boiling salted water cook carrots 1
minute. Add yellow squash and zucchini and cook vegetables
5 minutes. Transfer vegetables with a slotted spoon to a
large bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking and drain
well in a colander. Transfer vegetables to a bowl. (If
using larger yellow squash and zucchini cut them into a
total of thirty-two 3/4-inch pieces.) In boiling water
remaining in pan cook onions 4 minutes and transfer with
slotted spoon to bowl of ice and cold water. Drain onions
well in colander and peel, leaving root ends intact.
Vegetables may be boiled 1 day ahead and chilled in
sealable plastic bags.

In a small bowl whisk together vinegar, mustard, oil, and
salt and pepper to taste. Basting sauce may be made 1 day
ahead and chilled, covered.

Prepare grill.

Thread vegetables, alternating them, onto skewers. Brush
one side of kebabs with about half of sauce and grill,
coated side down, on an oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over
glowing coals 5 minutes. Brush kebabs with remaining sauce
and turn. Grill kebabs 5 minutes more, or until squash is
tender. (Alternatively, kebabs may be grilled in a hot
well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderately high heat.)

Serves 4.

Gourmet

July 1995

Carole Peck's Zucchini Squash Pancakes

These delicious vegetable pancakes are an excellent showcase for zucchini, which is so abundant during the
summer.

25 medium zucchini, washed and stems cut
Zest of 3 lemons
2 tablespoons coarse salt
2 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups vegetable oil, for cooking
Topping: Goat cheese, roasted tomatoes, or fruit chutney
Optional garnish: Nasturtium leaves

1. Using the large-hole side of a hand grater or the medium blade setting on a mandoline, slice the zucchini in
julienne strips, rotating the zucchini to use only the flesh and not the seeds. Place the zucchini in a large mixing
bowl.
2. Toss the zucchini with the lemon zest and salt and let sit for approximately 8 minutes, until the zucchini starts
to soften. Add the Parmesan cheese, parsley, basil and pepper and toss well.
3. Start adding the flour a little at a time, mixing well after each addition. When you have added about 4 1/2 cups
flour, make a test pancake about the size of a silver dollar in your hand. If the ingredients bind together but aren't
too pasty the pancake is ready to cook.
4. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and fry the pancakes
in
batches for approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden. remove to absorbent towels to drain. Repeat the
process with the remaining pancakes, adding more oil for each 1 to 2 batches.
5. Just before serving, top the pancakes with goat cheese, roasted tomatoes, or fruit chutney. Garnish each
pancake
with a nasturtium leaf if you like.

Makes 90 to 100 1 1/2-inch pancakes.

PLANNING AHEAD: The zucchini can be shredded, and the herbs chopped, up to 1 day ahead and kept covered
in the
refrigerator. Mix the ingredients together up to 1 hour before you plan to Cook the pancakes. The cooked
pancakes can be made up 8 hours before you plan to serve them and reheated on a baking sheet in a 250F oven
for about 3 minutes. Garnish right before serving.
Copyright © 1997 StarChefs All rights reserved.

Pasta with Zucchini, Lemon, Pine Nuts, and Herb
The Greens Cook Book

1 pound corkscrew pasta (gemelli, rotelli, etc.)
8 ounces small, firm green or golden zucchini
1/2 c. mixed fresh herbs: Italian parsley, marjoram, basil, chervil, hyssop,
oregano, lemon thyme and others (I used basil and thyme, but oregano and
marjoram are also good. Avoid tarragon in this dish.)
1 lemon
6 T. virgin olive oil
5 T. pine nuts
4 shallots, thinly sliced then roughly chopped
4 t. tiny capers, rinsed in water
2 sun-dried tomatoes, cut into narrow strips (I used 8 halves)
Salt
Pepper
Parmesan (grated, fresh)

Slice the zucchini diagonally into pieces about the same thickness as the
pasta (matchstick size, 1/8" or so). Line up the slices and cut them into narrow
matchsticks. Each one will be tipped with green or gold.

Make a selection of fresh herbs from those suggested in the ingredients list.
Pull the leaves off the stems and chop them, but not too finely. Include any
flowers, such as the purple flowers of the basil or pink thyme blossoms. With a
vegetable peeler, remove a thin strip of peel from the lemon and cut it into fine
slivers. (I grated the peel.)

Heat 2 T. olive oil in a small pan and add the pine nuts. Cook them until they
begin to color; then add the shallots. Cook the two together over medium low
heat until the shallots are soft and the pine nuts are brown. Transfer them to a
wide bowl and add the rest of the oil, the capers, lemon peel, sun-dried
tomatoes and herbs. Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper and 1/2
teaspoon or so lemon juice to taste.

Add salt to the boiling water, drop in the zucchini and cook it about 1 minute.
Scoop it out, shake off the water, and add it to the bowl with the other
ingredients. Next, cook the pasta, scoop it out and add it to the bowl as well.
Toss with a pair of tongs, so that the noodles are coated with the oil and
herbs. Serve with the cheese passed separately.

For a wine, serve a sauvignon blanc.

Serves 2-4.
from The Silver Palate-Good Times cookbook (the red book)


Zucchini Carpaccio with Avocado, Lemon thyme, and Pistachio Oil

*this recipe calls for a couple of odd ingredients, but I thought a few of you might actually have or buy pistachio oil, and the rest who want to try this recipe could substitute another nut oil. And maybe a few of you have lemon thyme in your garden, or can make a substition there too. Let me know how this recipe works! I'm certain you can use other types of summer squash besides zucchini too.

1 tablespoon frehsly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 cup best quality pistacio oil, almond oil, or extra virgin olive oil
4 small zucchini or other summer squash, rinsed, dried and trimmed
1 ripe avocado, peeled and very thinly sliced
1/4 cup salted roasted pistachio nuts
4 sprigs fresh lemon thyme, with flowers if possible Zesty Lemon Salt (recipe for this is below)

1. In small jar, combine the lemon juice and salt and stir to blend. Add the oil, cover the jar, and shake to blend.

2. With a mandoline or a very sharp knife, slice the zucchini lengthwise as thinly as possible. Place the slices on a platter and pour the lemon mixture over the zucchini. Tilt the platter back and forth to evenly coat the slices. Cover and let marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour so the zucchini absorbs the sauce and does not dry out.

3. At serving time, carefully arrange the slices of marinated zucchini on individual salad plates, alternating with the avocado slices, slightly overlapping each slice. Sprinkle with the pistachio nuts. Season with thyme
and lemon salt. Serve. serves 4.

SQUASH AND PEPPER SKILLET, from Taste of Home Magazine by Gail Davies

1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
5 medium zucchini, sliced
3 medium yellow summer squash, sliced
1 small sweet red or green pepper, julienned
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
In a skillet, saute onion in oil until tender. Add the zucchini, yellow squash, red pepper and garlic; stir-fry for 12-15 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Season with salt and pepper. Yield: 8 servings