July’s farmers’ market is a veritable buffet for healthy eating. Each aisle provides temptations of the finest kind, with just-picked sweet corn, crunchy cucumbers, juicy berries, and perfectly ripe watermelon. Vine-ripened tomatoes, of course, are the biggest draw; but don’t overlook the mounds of summer squash in glistening shades of green and gold.
The generic term “squash” covers two very different vegetables. Winter squash, i.e., hard-skinned varieties like acorn, butternut, Kabocha, and pumpkin, store well and tide us through the colder months. Once warm weather returns, thin-skinned summer squash comes into season, i.e., the ubiquitous zucchini and its many kin, like yellow crookneck squash, golden zucchini, the round Eight Ball, and the pale green or yellow disk-shaped pattypan with scalloped edges.
Unlike their cold-weather cousins, summer squash is both easy to prepare and quick to cook. Steamed, sautéed, grilled, broiled, baked, braised, microwaved, stuffed, breaded and fried, tucked into omelets or frittatas, added to stews, pickled, or simply eaten raw, summer squash is a deliciously economical addition to everything from appetizers to desserts. (Shredded raw summer squash stirred into a muffin, cake, or quick bread batter provides extra moisture as well as nutrients…and manages to dupe unsuspecting veggi-phobes of all ages.)
As any home gardener knows, summer squash plants are zealously prolific. Oversleep one warm summer morning and you’ll end up with zucchini the size of a zeppelin. (You know, like the ones your neighbors try to unload on you.) But bigger is not always better in the vegetable world. These oversized squash are flavorless or—worse yet—bitter; with unpalatably large seeds and a tough, watery, or spongy texture.
Nor should you let those limp, overblown batons of out-of-season blandness found at supermarkets throughout the year influence your opinion of this entire species. Shopping at the farmers’ market ensures you will find only firm young vegetables with creamy flesh and a distinctively mild, slightly nutty flavor. Summer squash the way it’s supposed to taste. At its peak of perfection.
Serving a simple platter of sliced garden-fresh tomatoes is always a good idea this month, but when company’s coming you may want to up your game. The answer to this dilemma may very well be a gratin.
A gratin gets its name from the dish in which it is baked. Gratin dishes are specially designed to be wide and shallow to afford a large surface area that promotes the development of a crispy crust on top. In this case summer squash and tomatoes are flecked with herbs and layered decoratively over a bed of meltingly tender onions, then topped with a flavorful crust of parmesan cheese. What’s not to like?
Serve this either warm or at room temperature, alongside your favorite grilled or roasted protein. Alternatively, make it the vegetarian star of the meal, with a supporting cast of mixed baby greens and a crusty loaf of artisan bread.
Herbed Summer Vegetable Gratin
5 tablespoons California olive oil, plus extra to grease the baking dish
1 1/4 cups freshly grated parmesan, asiago, or other hard cheese
2 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh thyme, or other herb(s) such as basil, rosemary, and/or parsley
4 medium vine-ripened tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 1/2 pounds assorted young summer squash, such as green and golden zucchini, cut diagonally into 1/4-inch thick slices
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/8 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes, to more taste
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease the inside of an 8- x 11-inch oval gratin (or other shallow 2-quart baking dish) with olive oil. Set aside half of the cheese to sprinkle over the top.
- In a medium saute pan or skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Keep an eye on the temperature; if the onions begin to brown too quickly, reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon of the thyme. Spread the onion mixture evenly over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Set aside to cool.
- Place the tomato slices on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and let drain for 5 to 10 minutes. Discard the collected juices, or reserve for another use.*
- In a medium bowl, combine the summer squash, 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil, 2 tablespoons of the thyme, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper flakes. Toss gently to mix.
- Starting at one end of the baking dish, arrange a row of slightly overlapping tomato slices across the width of the dish and sprinkle lightly with cheese. Next, arrange a row of squash slices to overlap the tomatoes by about two-thirds, and sprinkle with cheese. Repeat with overlapping layers of tomatoes and squash, sprinkling cheese lightly over each, until the bottom of the dish is covered.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt over the top, and drizzle with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil. Mix the reserved cheese with the remaining 1 tablespoon of thyme and sprinkle evenly over the top. Bake until the gratin is nicely browned and the juices have bubbled and thickened, 65 to 70 minutes. Let stand at least 15 minutes before serving. Serves 6 to 8 as a side dish.
*Cook’s Tip: That seemingly watery juice given off by the tomatoes packs a lot of flavor. For a refreshing treat, strain, chill, and serve in a shot glass.
Getting Squashed
—Summer squash are actually gourds harvested at an immature age, while their seeds are unformed and skins are edible.
–Look for zucchini no larger than 5 inches in length or 1 1/4 inches in diameter. The skin should appear firm, slightly glossy, and free of nicks, shriveling, or any soft spots.
–Store summer squash, unwashed, in an open plastic bag in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator for up to 4 days. Baby varieties are more perishable, and should be used within 2 days.
–One cup of chopped raw zucchini contains about 20 calories, 0 grams of fat; 12 mg sodium; 2 grams protein; 4 carbs; plus vitamins A and C, and small amounts of calcium and iron.
The Danville Certified Farmers’ Market, located at Railroad & Prospect, is open every Saturday, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. For specific crop information call the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association at 1-800-949-FARM, or visit their web site at www.pcfma.org. This market is made possible through the generous support of the Town of Danville. Please show your appreciation by patronizing the many fine shops and restaurants located in downtown Danville. Buy fresh. Buy local. Live well!
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