Report From An Opinionated Gardener – July 29
Got zucchini? If your plants are producing, I have three words of advice: Pick them small. Be it green or yellow, summer squash can transform from tiny to baseball bat sized overnight.
One day you’re looking at the plant thinking, “Oh great…baby squash!” and the next day you realize that you’ve grown a club large enough to be the murder weapon in a game of Clue. “It was done by Miss Scarlett, in the Conservatory, with the zucchini.”
Time to get out all the fantastic squash recipes such as chocolate zucchini cake. I used to make this for my kids and tell them it was so good because of the “secret ingredient.”
Sweets aside, you must try this dish that my Italian mother-in-law taught me. It will use up a number of squash (remember: pick them small) and is delicious for lunch or dinner.
- Slice squash into rounds about ¼ inch thick.
- Put these slices into a frying pan containing a layer of hot oil. You can bake the squash until it’s browning but it’s far more tasty fried…what isn’t?
- Once the slices have browned, put them in a bowl. After all the squash is cooked, add a clove or two of sliced garlic to the bowl, sprinkle with red wine vinegar and add chopped fresh basil. Toss and let this sit at room temperature for awhile before serving.
Serve with any meat, cheese or fish and good bread.
You can use summer squash of any color.
Cook the squash until it is golden with dark brown splotches. The squash in this pan isn't finished quite yet.
