Crookneck, straightneck, pattypan, zucchini …
They’re all summer squash, one crop that thrives in the Southeast – both in the garden and on the dinner table.
Terry Hughes, who grows a number of vegetables at his Flat Top Mountain farm in Soddy-Daisy, said that when his wife, Diane, puts their home-grown squash on the menu, he likes it fried with a cornmeal breading.
Squash can be fried, grilled, stuffed or baked, said Rick Adams, owner of Southern Star restaurants.
“People love it in the summertime,” he said.
The cooks at Adams’ Southern-style restaurant on South Broad Street serve it stewed, fried and in casserole form.
“Everybody has their favorite, but it’s the casserole that seems to go the quickest,” Adams said.
Southern Star sticks with tradition when making the casserole, adding eggs, butter, salt, pepper, cheese and cracker crumbs.
Here are several recipes from southernfood.about.com to help use up the crop.
Cream of Squash Soup
1 1/2 pounds yellow summer squash
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, sliced
1/4 lemon, sliced, seeds removed
1/4 cup flour
6 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
3 to 4 grinds of fresh nutmeg or dash of ground nutmeg
1 cup heavy cream
Wash and trim squash. Slice, reserving 8 very thin slices for garnish. In a large saucepan, melt butter; gently sauté onion and lemon. Sprinkle with flour and cook slowly, stirring, until flour is absorbed. Add chicken broth gradually, then sliced squash, salt and pepper. Simmer for 1 hour. Puree soup in blender or food processor. Add nutmeg. To heat, stir in cream with a wire whisk and cook over low heat. Do not allow to boil. Garnish soup with reserved squash slices. Makes 8 servings.
Squash Soufflé
2 pounds sliced yellow summer squash
1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons melted butter
3 tablespoons flour
8 ounces cheddar cheese, grated
Seasoned salt and pepper, to taste
Buttered bread crumbs
Combine squash, onion and salt in a large saucepan; cover with water and simmer until vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and mash well. Stir in milk, eggs, melted butter, flour and cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Heat oven to 350 F. Bake in a buttered 1 1/2-quart casserole for about 30 minutes. Top with buttered bread crumbs and bake for about 10 minutes longer. Makes 4 servings.
Zucchini Parmesan
4 to 5 medium zucchini, about 1 1/2 pounds
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 teaspoon dried leaf oregano, divided
1/2 teaspoon dried leaf basil, divided
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup sour cream
2 tomatoes, sliced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Butter an 8-inch square baking dish. Scrub zucchini and cut into 1/4-inch slices. In a medium bowl, combine flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, 1/4 teaspoon basil and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Toss zucchini slices with the seasoned flour, coating slices thoroughly. Heat oil over medium-low heat in a large skillet. Sauté zucchini slices in batches until golden brown, about 4 minutes on each side. Drain well and repeat until all zucchini is browned. In a bowl, combine sour cream, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/2 teaspoon oregano, 1/4 teaspoon basil and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Place zucchini slices in baking dish. Top zucchini with tomato slices; spread sour cream mixture over tomatoes, then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 F for about 30 minutes or until zucchini is tender. Makes 6 servings.
Zucchini “Pizza”
Editor’s note: I used Monterey Jack instead of mozzarella cheese and made the pizza in a pizza pan rather than a 9- by 13-inch pan. Also, placing parchment paper beneath the crust makes lifting each slice from the pan a simple task.
3 cups grated zucchini
3 eggs, well beaten
1/2 cup flour
Salt, to taste
2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup chopped black olives
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup chopped Italian pickled peppers or chopped marinated artichoke hearts
Jalapeno pepper rings, as desired
1 tablespoon fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh basil or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
3 to 4 small tomatoes, thinly sliced (grape or cherry tomatoes OK)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Generously butter a 9- by 13-inch baking pan. Preheat oven to 450 F. Put grated zucchini in a colander and press out as much excess liquid as possible. Put zucchini in a mixing bowl. Add well-beaten eggs, flour and salt. Mix well and spread in buttered pan. Bake in a 450 F oven for 8 minutes. Remove pan and reduce oven temperature to 350 F. Cover the zucchini base with cheese. Combine black olives, green onions and chopped pickled peppers. Spread over cheese. Arrange jalapeno pepper rings over top. Sprinkle with fresh or dried herbs. Arrange tomatoes on top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 350 F, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Makes 4 to 6 servings.