Guest Chefs Loren and Dean cooked an array of squash focused recipes including Italian Pork Squash Wells, Delicata squash medallions, Squash soup, squash fritters and sauteed squash and cheese.
Italian Pork Sausage Squash Wells
Ingredients:
•4 zucchini cut into half inch thick rounds and cored in the center of each round leaving the bottom of the wells in tacked. Cook these stove top with a sprinkle of salt and pepper, cover with a lid till slightly tender.
Filling for the wells:
•1 large onion diced and sautéed in 3T olive oil till caramelized.
•6 cloves of garlic minced and added to the onions.
•grate 2 small yellow squash, squeeze all liquid excess and add to the mixture above.
•in a separate pan sauté 2 lbs of Italian pork sausage in 2T olive oil till cooked and add to above.
•add 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs.
•add salt and Italian seasoning to taste.
Fill the zucchini rounds and top with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. Bake 350 degrees or heat stove top and covered till cheese has melted and rounds are hot.
Delicata Squash Medallions:
•cut squash forming 1/4”thick
rounds and then cut each in half.
•on a parchment covered baking sheet SPRAY a light coat of olive oil on the sheet of parchment and then LIGHTLY spray a layer of squash halves, top and bottom. Sprinkle the squash with the mixture below and transfer the breaded squash to a stove top pan with 4T olive oil. Cook till squash is tender and the breadcrumb mix is crispy.
Breadcrumbs mixture for 2 Delicata Squash:
•2 cups breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste.
Avocado Lime Crema
Equipment: Food processor
Ingredients
- 2 avocados pits and skins removed
- 1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 2 cloves garlic
Instructions
Place all items in a food processor and blend until smooth.
Serve as desired.
Notes:
Add 1-2 tbsp of lime juice or water if you desire a thinner consistency.
Creamy Summer Squash Soup
This creamy summer squash soup is the ultimate comfort food with minimal effort – silky, nourishing, and infused with coconut milk and curry warmth.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1½ pounds summer squash
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
- ½ lime
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Fresh basil, for serving
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for about 5 minutes until translucent.
- Add minced garlic and curry powder; cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in chopped summer squash and cook for 2 minutes until slightly softened.
- Pour in vegetable stock and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10–15 minutes, until squash is fork-tender.
- Using an immersion blender or regular blender (in batches), blend soup until smooth and silky.
- Stir in lime juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Adjust consistency with more coconut milk if desired.
- Serve hot, garnished with fresh basil and a drizzle of coconut milk if desired.
NOTES
Use full-fat coconut milk for the creamiest texture. The soup keeps well in the fridge for 4 days or frozen up to 3 months. Add a pinch of cayenne if you like extra heat.
Squash Fritters
Ingredients
- 4 cup shredded yellow squash
- 1 medium sweet onion finely diced
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1 cup self-rising flour
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 Tbsp chopped chives or parsley
- 1 tsp seasoned salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- dash of cayenne
- 4 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 Tbsp salted butter
- 2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Shred the squash, you’ll need around 4-5 medium squash. Blot the shredded squash with paper towels to remove excess moisture. (Alternatively, squeeze in a clean kitchen towel.
- In a large bowl stir together the shredded squash, diced onion and egg.
- To the bowl add the self-rising flour, grated Parmesan, chopped chives, seasoned salt, garlic powder, cumin, black pepper and cayenne. Stir to combine.
- Heat 1 Tbsp vegetable oil and a 1 Tbsp butter in a large nonstick skillet.
- Use a Tbsp or a medium ice cream scoop to divide evenly. Scoop the squash mixture, sprinkle with panko bread crumbs, then drop the squash batter crumb side down into the pan. Sprinkle the top side with panko bread crumbs before turning. (Form into approximately 1 1/2-inch-thick patties.)
- Fry squash cakes in batches over medium-high heat, cooking until golden brown and cooked through. Around 2-3 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining squash mixture.
- Add additional oil and butter to the pan as needed between batches. Remove fried squash croquettes to a paper towel-lined platter. (You can also keep warm in a preheated 200°F oven on a rimmed baking sheet until serving.)
- Serve immediately.