Time to Get Squashed!

June heralds the long-awaited introduction to summer’s bounty, with newly harvested vegetables and stone fruits arriving each week at the farmers’ market. Look for a rainbow of crunchy sweet bell peppers; perfect little beets; baby leeks; new red onions; berries of every persuasion; tree-ripened apricots (be still, my heart!); plump cherries; juicy melons; and the first peaches and nectarines of the season. You’ll also see mounds of just-picked summer squash, and—when we’re lucky—delicate zucchini blossoms just begging for a quick dip in a lacy tempura-style batter.

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, soups and salads 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 vegi-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 young, tender 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.

The following recipe was inspired by one that appeared on the outstanding web site, www.food52.com. I love the combination of sweet-sour-salty-spicy-crunchy flavors, all punctuated with the heady perfume of fresh mint. Best of all, it tastes as good at room temperature as it does fresh off the stove.

Summer Squash with Toasted Almonds and Fresh Mint

Although this is just about perfect as is, for variation I sometimes swap fresh basil for the mint, or crumbled soft goat cheese for the Asiago.

• 1/3 cup sliced California almonds
• 1 1/2 pounds mixed small zucchini and yellow summer squash
• 4 tablespoons California olive oil
• Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes, or more to taste
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon sherry wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup (packed) fresh mint leaves, cut into thin strips
• 1 small chunk of aged hard cheese, such as Asiago or Parmesan

1. In a small dry skillet, toast the almonds over medium heat, stirring often and watching carefully, until just fragrant and very lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2. Cut the zucchini and squash crosswise into pieces about 1-inch thick.
3. In a large sauté pan or skillet, warm about 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Working in batches if needed, add the squash without crowding and increase the heat to high. Season with salt and pepper flakes and cook, stirring and tossing frequently, until the squash is just tender and nicely browned on the edges, 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Reduce the heat to medium. Sprinkle the sugar and vinegar over the top and cook, stirring, until the sugar has melted, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Taste, adding more salt if necessary. Just before serving, stir in the reserved almonds and mint and drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Use a vegetable peeler to shave cheese over the top. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serves 4 to 6.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Stalking the Wild Zucchini

• Summer squashes are actually gourds harvested at an immature age, while their skins and seeds are still edible.
• California is second only to Florida in summer squash production.
• Look for zucchini that is 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 5 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.

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The Danville Certified Farmers’ Market, located at Railroad and 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.com.