Tag: Summer Squash

Summer Squash Risotto

On May 15, 2012

In Grains + Pasta, Recipes, Vegetables + Fruit

I suppose I have a risotto for all seasons. This one is just right for a cool, rainy spring evening in Austin; comforting but bright and summery. The base is sweet onions just harvested from my garden. Pulling 50 beautiful little onions out of the dirt is a great way to celebrate the end of another semester. Cooking up recipes full of them is a great way to celebrate being on vacation.

2 Tbs Butter
1 cup Sweet Onion [Texas 1015 or the like, chopped]
4 Garlic Cloves [minced]
2 medium Summer Squash [mixed colors, grated]
1/2 cup White Wine
4 cups Vegetable Broth
1 cup Arborio Rice
Lemon Zest from 1 lemon
1/4 cup chopped Flat Leaf Parsley + Basil
Salt to Taste

Heat vegetable broth and keep at a low simmer.

Melt butter in a large shallow sauce pan over medium low heat. Saute sweet onion till translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic + summer squash. Season with salt, depending on how salty your veggie broth is. Cook for a few minutes more, until the squash just begins to soften. Add rice + toast for a minute. Add wine + stir. After all liquid is absorbed, add about a half cup of vegetable broth. Stir frequently until liquid is absorbed. Repeat until all broth has been added and rice is tender and mixture is creamy. Stir in basil + parsley. Serve in shallow bowls garnished with plenty of lemon zest.

Serves 4 as a substantial side.

Yellow Summer Curry

By Laine

On November 13, 2010

In Beans, Tofu + Lentils, Recipes, Vegetables + Fruit

1 cup Yellow Split Peas [rinsed well]
1 cup Vegetable Broth
1 Onion [minced]
3 Garlic Cloves [minced]
1 Chili Pepper [minced]
1 inch Ginger Root [fresh, grated]
1 Japanese Eggplant [sliced in 1/4″ slices]
1 Zucchini [sliced]
1 Yellow Summer Squash [sliced]
1/4 tsp Turmeric
Sesame or Olive Oil
Salt

Yellow Sweet Rice:
1 cup Basmati Rice
6 Cloves [whole]
dash Cardamom [ground]
2 inch Cinnamon Stick
dash Turmeric
dash Corriander [ground]

This recipe requires 4 pots/pans cooking at the same time. It is best to prep all your ingredients ahead to help with the timing.

Soak split peas for 4-8 hours in 1-1/2 cups of water. Drain + rinse well.

[pot 1] Bring split peas to a boil with 1 cup of water + 1/4 tsp turmeric. Reduce heat + simmer, adding vegetable broth 1/4 cup at a time as water is absorbed. Be careful not to scorch. Lentils should be very soft and mushy when cooked.

[pot 2] Meanwhile, bring rice, 1-1/2 to 2 cups water + spices to a boil in a medium pot. Stir + simmer till tender. Remove from heat.

[pan 3] Heat a small amount of oil in a large pan with a lid. Fry eggplant in batches till tender. Remove from pan as cooking is complete.

[pan 4] Heat 2 Tbs oil in a small pan. Saute onion, garlic, chili pepper + ginger over medium low heat until very tender, about 10 minutes. Stir frequently + do not allow to brown. Remove from heat.

[pan 3] Once eggplant is cooked + removed from pan. Steam summer squash + zucchini in a few tablespoons of water until nearly cooked, about 5 minutes. Add cooked lentils, onion mixture + eggplant to to squash + stir gently to combine. [The lentils act as a sauce.]

Serve over yellow sweet rice. Serves 4-6.

Stuffed Red Peppers

By Laine

On August 1, 2010

In Grains + Pasta, Recipes, Vegetables + Fruit

3 Red Bell Peppers [whole]
1 cup Bulgur Wheat
1 cup Sweet Onion [sliced]
2 Summer Squash [chopped]
4 Garlic Cloves [roughly chopped]
2 Tbs Olive Oil
Salt + Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1/2 cup Kalamata + Green Olives [pitted + chopped]
1 Tbs Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 cup Basil [fresh, thinly sliced]

Roast peppers till skins blacken [either under the broiler or over an open flame]. Allow to cool, remove skins, stems + seeds. Set aside.

Bring 1-1/2 cups water to a boil. Stir in bulgur, turn off heat + cover. Allow to stand for 15-20 minutes until water has been absorbed and bulgur is tender.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss onions, summer squash + garlic with olive oil, salt + pepper then spread into a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes, flip, roast for 5 minutes more. Squash + onions should be lightly browned.

Toss squash, onions, garlic, bulgur, basil + olives in a large bowl. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Season with pepper. Stuff some of the mixture into the roasted red peppers. Transfer the remaining bulgur mixture to a serving dish + place the stuffed peppers on top. Serve.

Southern Bowl

By Laine

On July 25, 2010

In Beans, Tofu + Lentils, Grains + Pasta, Recipes, Vegetables + Fruit

1-1/2 cups Baby Okra [no larger than 3″, stems + ends trimmed]
1/4 cup Sweet Pepper [sliced thinly]
2 Garlic Cloves [minced]
1 Yellow Summer Squash [peel into paper thin strips with a veggie peeler]
1 cup Brown Rice [medium grain, rinsed + cooked]
1 cup Black Eyed Peas [cooked]
1 Tbs Olive Oil
2 Tbs Water
Salt + Freshly Ground Pepper
1 Lime [juice only from 1/2, 1/2 cut into wedges]
2 Tbs Spicy Sandwich Spread

Stir lime juice into Spicy Sandwich Spread + set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add okra + saute until beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add peppers + garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Add squash + 2 Tbs water. Cook about 2 minutes, stirring quickly but being careful not to break up the squash ribbons. Season with salt + pepper.

Serve vegetables over rice + black eyed peas with a dollop of spicy sauce. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Summer Squash Soup

By Laine

On June 22, 2010

In Recipes, Vegetables + Fruit

6 medium Zucchini or Yellow Summer Squash [chopped]
1-1/2 cups Sweet Onion [chopped]
4 Garlic Cloves [fresh if available, minced]
2 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp + Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
2 cups Vegetable Broth
1 tsp Fresh Oregano [chopped]
1 tsp Fresh Thyme
1/2 tsp Fresh Tarragon [chopped]
1/4 cup Fresh Basil [chopped]

Heat oil in a soup pot with a lid to medium heat. Saute onions and garlic, seasoned with a little salt + pepper for about 5 minutes. Add squash + 1 tsp salt. Increase heat slightly + saute for 5 minutes more. Add vegetable broth, cover + simmer for 10 minutes. Add herbs + simmer a few minutes more, until squash are tender. Allow to cool slightly then puree. Gently reheat if necessary or serve at room temperature.

Serves 4 to 6.