Zucchini and Summer Squash, Oh, My!
Wondering What to do with all that Zucchini or Summer Squash?
Aug 20, 2009
Many gardens, farm shares, or farmer's markets right now are positively overflowing with zucchini and summer squash. Not only have these summer staples produced bumper crops, but the actual vegetable is often huge. Such a windfall has left backyard gardeners, locavores, and foodies alike scrambling to use, or preserve these beauties before the harvest ends in the coming weeks. So, for those who are among the many who are positively swimming in summer squash, here are a few useful hints and suggestions to help make the most of summers most prolific product.
The Freezer Is Your Friend
Both zucchini and all variety of summer squash are excellent to freeze and, if handled properly, will last for many months in a standard freezer bag. The best part about prepping these vegetables for winter storage is that unlike many others, they do not require a blanching before going straight into the freezer. Simply cut the zucchini or squash into matchstick sized pieces, press with a clean kitchen towel to remove any excess water, and then store in an airtight container. Freezer bags work great for such a task, provided you remove all excess air prior to freezing. If there are not any freezer bags handy, an airtight tupper ware or other container will do. Just remember, that whenever freezing a vegetable, make sure that any excess water and air are removed before freezing, otherwise the produce will turn to a very unappetizing mush when defrosted.
To get the most out of freezing produce this way, separate zucchini and summer squash into two pound servings. Most recipes call for two pounds of produce at a time, so one freezer bag can serve as the equivalent to one recipe's worth of zucchini or squash. Plus, once the zucchini or squash are taken out of the freezer there is at best two days to make use of the product. Therefore separating out your produce into individual serving sizes guarantees consumers get the most out of the preserved produce.
Zucchini Flowers Are Not Just For Smelling
Stuffed zucchini blossoms are an excellent, and elegant way to both make use of the plant and curb procreation. While the large, yellow-hued paper-like blossoms are beautiful to see, they are even more pleasant to eat. Often consumers will find stuffed zucchini blossoms on the menus of fine restaurants, and in Italy, they are considered both a delicacy as well as a summer necessity. The most common preparation is to stuff the flower with ricotta cheese and then deep fry the flower, but really, the only limit to the potential is the imagination, and the ability of the flower to withstand the ingredients. For a slightly bolder approach try adding some local, grass-fed ground beef to the ricotta cheese. Foodies will not be disappointed.
Who Doesn't Love Bread
Both zucchini and squash are excellent additions to, or stars of, cake breads. These non-rising, sweet, dense treats make a wonderful breakfast, snack, or dessert while offering a healthy dose of summer veggies. Most recipes call for the use of vegetable oil as the main fat in the dish, but those looking to lighten recipes or avoid vegetable oil can easily switch out that ingredient for applesauce. Before making such a switch though give a starter batch a try.
Oftentimes these recipes need half as much applesauce as oil, and the most successful switches include just a little bit of the oil to assist in the overall binding of ingredients and prevent the dough from becoming soup. As a general rule, start with two tablespoons of oil and make sure to mix the wet and dry ingredients at the very last minute, mixing only very briefly. This limits the amount of time in which gluten can develop and will help keep your zucchini or squash bread fresh. These treats also freeze wonderfully, allowing cooks and consumers to enjoy a taste of summer well into the winter months.
The bottom line for those looking to increase the amount of seasonal, local foods into a diet but find themselves over their eyes in squash is to think ahead. There is nothing quite like taking a loaf of zucchini bread out of the freezer, adding some chestnuts, stock, sage and sausage to compliment a Thanksgiving turkey, or adding a bit of green to a winter soup while the snow falls. Keeping a diet seasonal and local is a lot easier than it may seem, and for those trying, zucchini and summer squash are the summer gifts that just keep giving.
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