Pasta with Sausage, Zucchini and Fava Beans

This hearty pasta dish offers up an irresistible melange of flavors and textures.   Cook the pasta at the same time as the rest of the ingredients.

Prep time:  10 Minutes
Cook time:  20 minutes
Serves:  4-6

INGREDIENTS
1 lb sausage links, cut into 1/4 inch slices

2 cups thin whole wheat spaghetti, or your favorite

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, 1/4 inch dice

3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 small zucchini squash, about 3 cups, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried sage

2 cups fava one or cannellini beans

1 cup chopped fresh parsley

Olive oil to dress (optional)

Parmesan cheese
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Heat water to cook the pasta.  While water is heating, cook the sausage in a large skillet or saute pan over medium heat, stirring.  When sausage is done, remove to a separate dish and drain excess fat.

Cook the pasta when water is boiling.

Meanwhile, add the olive oil to the skillet, then the onion, garlic, and squash.  Sprinkle with the oregano and sage and cook over medium heat, stirring, until onions are translucent and squash is almost tender.  Add the beans, heat for one minute further, then remove from heat.

When pasta is done, drain, and combine in serving dish with the sausage, cooked vegetables, and parsley.  Distribute to serving plates, sprinkling with Parmesan and seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.  A drizzle of good olive oil might be nice.

A good Pinot Grigio, or even a dry Italian red wine alongside, would finish the picture.

Variation:  Omit the sausage for a vegetarian dish.

Photos and recipe by Tod Dimmick

Sautéed herbed zucchini

Sauteed Zucchini brings a simple yet sublime combination of flavors and juicy texture.  Use bowls for serving to preserve the delicious liquid.

Prep time:  5 minutes
Cook time:  10-12 minutes
Serves:  2 as a side dish

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons olive oil

One small onion, about lacrosse ball size

One zucchini, 10 inches long +/-
2-3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil

1 teaspoon chopped fresh marjoram (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)

1 teaspoon fresh dill (optional)

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat and saute the onion for 3 minutes, turning once, or until onion is beginning to turn translucent.  Add the zucchini slices and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 7-8 minutes, adding the basil and marjoram in the last two minutes.  Serve when squash and onion pieces are tender.  The water from the squash will create a braise that will finish cooking both the onion and the squash.

Distribute squash to serving dishes and sprinkle with dill, if using, along with salt, pepper, and Parmesan.

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick

Grilled Squash Bruschetta with Fresh Herbs

Rich, smoky grilled squash tossed with pungent fresh dill and cilantro.  Use as a dip, topping, or here on pizza.  (pizza dough recipe)
Prep time:   35 minutes
Cook time:  6-8 minutes
Yield:          about 2 cups

INGREDIENTS
1 fresh yellow squash, large enough to yield about 1 1/2 -2 cups diced
1/2 tsp. salt
2-3 TB olive oil
2 TB balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
several sprigs cilantro, chopped
several sprigs dill, chopped
1/2 tsp. Fresh ground pepper

DIRECTIONS
Slice the squash lengthwise into strips about 1/3" thick, and layer in a baking dish, sprinkling a little salt on each layer.  Set aside for 30 minutes.

Preheat your grill.  In a bowl, mix the olive oil, vinegar, and garlic.  Pour off any water released from the squash, and pour on the garlic oil mixture,turning to coat.  Grill the squash for about 3 minutes per side, or until softened.  Remove to a cutting board and dice into pieces about 1/4 inch across.

Scrape squash into a bowl, and toss with the cilantro, dill, and black pepper.

This is tasty as a bruschetta or pizza topping.

Grilled Vegetable Ratatouille

This recipe takes inspiration from Julia Child's classic recipe in Mastering the Art of French Cooking, but with ingredients separately grilled. Ratatouille incorporates two other recipes (oven dried tomatoes and tomato sauce), so the dish takes a bit of planning.  The result is wondrous flavor.  

Ratatouille can easily fly solo as a vegetarian entree, or serve as a memorable side dish.  

Prep time: 60 minutes total: 30 minutes unattended (Not including oven drying time for tomatoes)
Cook time: 90 minutes
Serves 8-10

INGREDIENTS
about 2 lbs ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges, and oven dried
2 large eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/4" slices
2 large zucchini, scraped and cut crosswise into 1/4" slices
3 TB olive oil for the grilled vegetables
2-3 TB olive oil for the onions
1-2 onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2-3 bell peppers, cored and cut crosswise into 1/4" slices
2 cups homemade tomato sauce
1-2 cups fresh basil and parsley, chopped (hard to have too much fresh basil)

DIRECTIONS
Layer the eggplant and zucchini in a large baking dish, salting each layer, and set aside minutes. After 30 minutes, rinse and dry the slices. Preheat the grill. In a large bowl, Turn the zucchini, eggplant, and pepper slices in the 3 TB olive oil. This may need to be done in stages unless you have a brobdignagian bowl.  Grill vegetable slices for 6-8 minutes, turning once, or until they are soft. Remove to cool on a platter, keeping the vegetables separate.  When the grilled vegetables have cooled enough to handle, slice them into pieces about 1x2".  Keep the vegetables separated by kind. (This step is optional, and will make the finished dish easier to serve.)


Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium low heat and saute the onion and garlic for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the onion is soft and translucent.  Remove from heat heat. (If you like the challenge of multitasking, the saute and grill steps can be done simultaneously.)

Preheat the oven to 300. Spread about 1/3 of the onion, 1/3 of the dried tomatoes, and 1/3 of the peppers on the bottom of a dutch oven/stock pot. Dress with 2/3 cup of the tomato sauce.  Cover with half of the zucchini, half of the eggplant, and half of the basil & parsley. Dress with another 2/3 cup sauce. Spread the remainder of the onions, tomatoes & peppers, the rest of the zucchini, eggplant, and the rest of the basil & parsley.  Top with the remaining sauce.

Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, if desired. Top with the remainder of the onions, tomatoes & peppers. Cover and bake in the oven for about 45 minutes or until heated through.

Ratatouille can be served hot, warm or cold

Tip 1: Paste tomatoes have less water, and so take less time in the oven.
Tip 2: If the dish seems dry as you assemble it, add a little tomato sauce between the layers.

Photo and recipe by Tod Dimmick

Zucchini Spice Cake

Demonstrated by Dan Weinreich to applause. From Marian Morash's Victory Garden Cookbook.

1 1/2 c flour
1 t baking power
1/2 t baking soda
1 1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1/4 t ground cloves
1/4 t ground ginger
1/2 t salt
2 eggs
1 c packed dark brown sugar
2/3 c vegetable oil (or to lighten I substitute a 50:50 mix of oil and apple sauce)
2 t vanilla
1 1/2 c grated zucchini (or obviously, any summer squash)

Sift together dry ingredients. Beat the eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla together. Beat in the dry ingredients. Stir in the grated squash and pour into greased 8x8 pan. Bake at 350F for approximately 45 minutes.

Summer Squash Casserole

Tomato Tart

Recipe courtesy of Dan Weinreich. I had to take a picture of this before it went into the oven, because after it came out it disappeared!

1/3 cup salted butter
1 cup flour
ice water
3 TB Dijon mustard
2 or 3 large juicy tomatoes
1 pound mozzarella
3 cloves garlic minced
salt, pepper, oregano, olive oil

Roll out single pie crust (cut butter into flour, add ~3.5 T ice water so ball holds together, refrigerate 1+ hour) to fit pan. Spread Dijon mustard over the floor of the pan. Build two layers, each consisting of sliced mozzarella, thinly sliced tomatoes, salt, pepper, oregano and minced garlic. Drizzle top layer with olive oil. Bake 40 minutes at 400F. Let sit at least 20 minutes, though also excellent at room temperature.

Grilled Everything

Grill vegetables along with any grilled main course. This recipe suggests broccoli, eggplant, squash, and peppers, but don't stop there. One surface for everything, minimum cleaning. Guys like that. Er, everyone likes that.

(This particular method appeared in my Cooking For Guys, reprinted with permission.)

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4

1/4 cup olive oil
2 TB chopped garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 head broccoli, broken into florets about 1 1/2 inches wide
2 large bell peppers, seeds and stems removed, quartered lengthwise
2 small (10-inch) fresh zucchini, washed, ends cut off, and quartered lengthwise
1 small eggplant, peeled and cut into lengthwise strips about 3/4 inch wide
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Hot pepper sauce (optional)

Start the grill. In a small cup, mix the olive oil, garlic and Italian seasoning. Place the veggies in a large bowl. Pour the oil mixture over the vegetables and turn to thoroughly coat. Lay the vegetables on the grill in a single layer and cook for 3 minutes per side, or until softened. Distribute to serving plates, and season to taste with salt, pepper, Parmesan cheese and hot sauce (if using).

Serve on the porch on a late summer evening, and keep those warm days in mind.

Ricotta Stuffed Zucchini

Photo:
Tod Dimmick















Stuffed Zucchini is easy to make, it just takes some planning for the oven time. For a little commentary on Zucchini, click below.


Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30-45 minutes
Serves: 4

2 large zucchini, washed and sliced lengthwise
2 cups chopped arugula or spinach
1 container (16 oz) ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2 onions, sliced thin and sauteed until caramelized
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 cup sliced fresh mozzarella, or 1 cup shredded mozzarella

Set up the oven with two racks, and preheat to 400.

Scoop out the seeds of the zucchini and some of the flesh, leaving a hollow space to hold the cheese mixture. Save the scooped out flesh and seeds.

Process the the greens, ricotta, eggs, Parmesan, onions, and Italian seasoning in a food processor equipped with a cutting blade. Add about half of the zucchini flesh and seeds, and process again to a chunky consistency. Fill each zucchini half with 1/4 of the mixture .

Place the zucchini halves, filling size up, in a large baking dish (or two baking dishes). Add water around the squash to a depth of about 1". Carefully slide the baking dishes into the oven and cook for 30 minutes or until the cheese mixture is set and the squash is tender. Top with mozzarella and cook for another few minutes until the cheese has melted.

Note: The round stuffed squash will take longer to cook than the long skinny shape.

Alternatives: This can be cooked without the water bath. Cook time will be quicker, but the squash will end up more brown. You can also omit the eggs, which will make the filling more fluid.

Served up by Tod Dimmick,
AKA "The Foodie" at 1000radishes

Summer Squash with Fresh Herbs

Photo:
Tod Dimmick










Summer squash is another of those delicate, delicious vegetables that even kids will like. Maybe give them fewer herbs on top.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4

2-3 summer squash (your favorite)
Butter
Several leaves each of several fresh herbs, such as dill, basil, and sage.
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut squash into 1/2 inch slices. Place slices in a vegetable steamer with an inch of water in the bottom. Bring to a boil over medium heat and steam for 8 minutes or until tender.

While squash is steaming, mince the herbs. Distribute squash to serving plates, dress with butter, top with herbs, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Delicious.

Served up by Tod Dimmick,
AKA "The Foodie" at 1000radishes

Summer Squash and Zucchini

Zucchini, patty pan, globe and yellow/green squash are the varieties of summer squash (Cucurbita pepo) grown at the farm. The varieties offer slightly different tastes and textures, though summer squash varieties are, for the most part, interchangeable in recipes. Summer squash are the more tender, thin-skinned, shorter-lived relatives of the winter squash.

Summer squash is primarily composed of water...about 94 percent! They are a good source of calcium and potassium, and vitamins A and C. Slice up raw summer squash and serve with hummus or other dips. Chop and toss into a quick summer tomato sauce to add texture and chunkiness. Summer squash are also great sliced in half lengthwise, brushed with a bit of oil, and thrown on the grill for a few minutes.

Though the smaller to mid-sized summer squash are prized for their tenderness and taste, the larger ones are also useful and flavorful. Don't be afraid! If you cut a larger squash open and find the seeds and skin are a bit too tough, then remove seeds and grate it for squash bread, use in a fritatta, or stuff and bake the hollow shell with something yummy. Freezing grated summer squash for making a zucchini bread in the winter is also a good trick for quickly making use of this super-abundant summer treat.

For optimal storage, be sure to handle your summer squash somewhat delicately. The less bruising and scratching they are exposed to, the longer they will last in your fridge. They keep fairly well in plastic bags, though they typically last no longer than a week at best.

Easy Squash Boats
(yummy kid pleaser!)
adapted from rachaelraymag.com

4 zucchini or summer squash, cut in half length-wise
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
5 small tomatoes, chopped
1 cup bread crumbs
1 and 1/2 teaspoon fresh herbs, chopped
salt and pepper
6 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 375°. Scoop out the squash flesh, leaving a 1/4- to 1/2-inch-thick shell. Wrap the flesh in a paper towel and squeeze out any excess liquid. Place the shells cut side down on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over high heat. Add the squash flesh and onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Push the vegetables to the side of the pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the bread crumbs, and toast the bread crumbs for 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper and any chopped fresh herbs. Flip over the squash shells and line the bottoms with the mozzarella. Pack in the filling. Sprinkle the parmesan on top. Bake until the zucchini is tender when pierced with a fork, 20 to 25 minutes.


Poached Zucchini/Summer Squash with Garlic and Mint

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 5-6 small to medium sized zucchini/summer squash, whole (consistency in size is most important here)
• 3 - 5 garlic cloves
• 8 - 12 mint leaves (any mint is fine)
• salt and pepper to taste

Set up a large pot of water, with enough room to fit in all of your whole squash. Salt the water and bring it to a boil. Carefully drop the squash in. Boil for 3 - 6 minutes, depending on the size of your squash. Drain and set aside. Over medium heat-high, warm up the olive oil. When the oil is hot enough, turn the heat down to low, and add the sliced garlic. Cook the garlic until it is tender, but stop before it browns. Slice squash lengthwise and in half if the squash is smaller, in length and into quarters if the squash is a bit bigger. Put on a plate and drizzle with the olive oil and garlic. Chop and lightly crush mint leaves with your fingers and sprinkle over the plate.

Adapted from unplugged kitchen, by Viana La Place



Mock Apple Cobbler

This is a great way to use extra summer squash. It is very fun to serve at a summer gathering. Most folks can never guess that this sweet treat is made from what is usually considered to be a savory vegetable.

filling ingredients

• 8 cups/3 lbs uniformly chopped summer squash/zucchini (seeded and peeled if from a very large squash)
• 2/3 cup lemon juice
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons ground frozen ginger root (this is a great way to store ginger and makes it very easy to grate)

crust/topping ingredients

• 3 cups flour
• 1 cup quick oats
• 1 - 2 cups sugar
• 1.5 cups cold butter, cut into small pieces (leave in fridge until ready to use)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

In a sauce pan, over low-medium heat, combine the lemon juice and zucchini. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes, until tender. Add the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Stir and cook for 1 more minute. Set filling aside. Heat the oven to 375. Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Combine flour, sugar, and oats in a bowl. Cut in butter with a knife or a pastry cutter, or use your fingers to mix until the ingredients have combined to form coarse crumbs. Put the squash filling into the greased pan. Spread topping evenly over filling. Cook for 35 - 40 minutes, until golden.

Grilled Zucchini and Summer Squash Salad with basil-parmesan dressing

Ingredients:

• 4 medium-large zucchini, trimmed, halved lengthwise
• 4 medium-large yellow crookneck squash, trimmed, halved lengthwise
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 ounce)
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Preparation

Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Place zucchini and crookneck squash on large baking sheet; brush all over with 3 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill vegetables until tender and brown, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes. Transfer to plate and cool.

Cut vegetables diagonally into 1-inch-wide pieces. Place in large bowl. Add basil, Parmesan cheese, balsamic vinegar and remaining 2 tablespoons oil and toss to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

from epicurious.com