At this point in July, we’re hitting high summer squash season and are, perhaps, tired of eating these veggies grilled and sauteed. I’m in favor of sneaking zucchini into all manner of bread recipes and baked goods, yet there are ways to cook zucchini and squash that showcase these vegetables while still keeping things interesting.
One method: Smother bite-sized pieces of zucchini in olive oil and let it slowly gurgle away until the zucchini has turned velvety smooth and has taken on the punchy, peppery flavors of the oil. To poach the vegetable without using a whole bottle of oil, you’ll want to use a large skillet, add the zucchini and enough oil to come halfway up the sides of the squash. Keep an eye on things, stirring every few minutes to ensure that the zucchini cooks evenly.
This technique requires more oil than a sauté, but you can make use of the oil later, tossing it with tender orzo pasta and red wine vinegar to make what amounts to a warm pasta salad.
To bring a double dose of umami, as well as a pop of texture, add both Parmesan and chopped dry-cured black olives to the bowl. Make sure to spring for real-deal Parmesan and poke around your grocery store’s olive bar for the olives; dry-cured olives won’t be sitting in brine, and their deep, rich flavor is worth the extra effort to find them.
If you have leftovers, the dish is excellent served at room temperature, with or without zucchini bread for dessert.
Credit: Chris Hunt
Credit: Chris Hunt
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