Get Cooking: 150 Simple Recipes to Get You Started in the Kitchen (40 page)

urban-grilled summer squash

Makes 4 servings

T
he definition of “grilled” is up for grabs. You can use a grill or a grill pan (with raised ridges that sear those telltale stripes onto the food). I extend the definition to include this easy method: simply searing something in a pan and not moving it while it cooks (thus allowing it to acquire a delectable golden-brown crusty underside). It’s the grilling method for when you live on the fifth floor and you’d probably get evicted if you cooked on a hibachi on your windowsill. Hence the name “Urban-Grilled.” It works with any of the thin-skinned, quick-cooking squash varieties, like yellow pattypan, green or yellow zucchini (a combination of the two looks great), or yellow crookneck. To avoid overcrowding the pan (which would “urban-steam” the squash, rather than grilling it), you can brown it in batches as directed and/or set up two or more pans for browning.

1.
Place a large (10-to 12-inch) heavy skillet over medium heat. After about a minute, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the onions and half of the salt. Cook, stirring often, for about 10 minutes, or until the onions become very tender and lightly golden. During the last minute or so of cooking, stir in the garlic. Then transfer the mixture to a serving bowl that will be large enough to hold the squash as well, and set aside.

2.
Without cleaning it, return the pan to the heat and add another tablespoon of olive oil, swirling once again to coat the pan. Add as much of the squash as will fit in a single layer, and cook without stirring for 1 to 2 minutes, or until very golden on the bottom.

3.
Use a thin-bladed metal spatula to carefully loosen each piece and flip it over. Let it cook, undisturbed, on the second side for 1 to 2 minutes, until deeply golden brown on the bottom.

4.
Loosen the pieces with the spatula again, and add them to the bowl holding the onion mixture.

5.
Repeat the browning process with the remaining squash, adding more oil as needed, in as many batches as necessary.

6.
When all of the squash has been cooked, toss it gently with the onions. (Try not to break the squash any more than necessary, but don’t fret if you do.) Season with the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and a good amount of black pepper. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

winter squash
au naturel

Makes 4 servings

E
ager to get you acquainted with winter squash (see “Squash for All Seasons,” Chapter 7: Sides), I’ve decided to keep it very basic here. You’ll simply roast it cut in half, and serve it that way. You can mash it with a fork directly in the skin, and sprinkle in some salt and pepper, maybe melt in a little butter. But start plain and see how you like it (and also see how the particular squash in front of you tastes—the sweetness can vary, depending on growing and harvesting conditions). Believe it or not, the only tricky part about preparing winter squash is cutting it. The combination of its very hard skin and its round shape makes it a knife challenge, so proceed slowly and carefully. (Safest technique: Insert the point of a good sharp knife first, and use a gentle sawing motion to initiate the cutting.) Once you’ve split the squash, use scissors to cut loose the strands of pulp around the seeds, and then scrape the seeds away with a spoon. Discard the seeds or reserve them to toast—see Chapter 1: Soups).

Figure on about ½ pound of squash per serving, and plan accordingly. Ideally, you will find a 1-pound acorn squash for every two servings, or a 2-pound butternut that you can quarter for serving four.

1.
Adjust the oven rack to the center position and preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking tray with foil, and pour on the olive oil. Use your fingers to distribute the oil so that it coats the area where you’ll put the squash.

2.
Cut the squash in half lengthwise, and scrape out the seeds. If the squash is very large, cut each half in half again, crosswise this time.

3.
Place the squash, cut side down, on the olive oil coating. Put the tray in the oven, and roast the squash until it is tender enough to easily insert a fork or a sharp knife into the flesh: 15 to 20 minutes for delicata, 35 to 40 minutes for acorn or butternut.

4.
Remove the tray from the oven, and let the squash pieces rest for about 10 minutes before turning them over. Serve hot or warm, in the skin, with forks for mashing and/or spoons for scooping.

DELICATA A SQUASH WORTH ITS STRIPES

The next time you’re hunting for produce, check out delicata squash. They’re small (averaging about ½ pound) pale yellow ovals with bright orange and deep green stripes—often so beautiful that you might want to keep a bowlful around just to look at. When you cut them open, you’ll see a large seed cavity and flesh that tends to be only ½-inch thick, or less. Thus, they cook in about half the time of their winter squash cousins. And their flavor is subtle to the point of ethereal.

SQUASH FOR ALL SEASONS

Most types of squash are available most of the time, yet we still refer to some as summer squash (zucchini, yellow crookneck, pattypan) and others as winter squash (butternut, acorn, delicata). The categories really have more to do with characteristics than with seasons. Summer squash have thin, edible skin and very pale, tender flesh with negligible seeds (all of which traits are especially evident in smaller, younger specimens), and they cook very, very quickly on a stovetop or grill. They’re also quite perishable and need to be refrigerated. Winter squash, on the other hand, are encased in hard, inedible skin, tend to have golden-hued, sturdy flesh, and contain a pocket of seeds that you need to remove. (Not unlike when you make a jack-o’-lantern. In fact, pumpkins are a type of winter squash. But you knew that.) Winter squash have a long larder life, meaning you don’t need to refrigerate them; they will keep for weeks if stored out of direct sunlight. Winter squash is usually baked unpeeled, in seeded halves, and then the flesh is often scooped out and made into some other fine concoction (such as the soup on Chapter 1: Soups). Rarely is it just presented on its own, playing itself, totally unscripted and with no makeup. And this is a shame, because “just plain” winter squash is a delightful thing—sweet from its own natural character, delicate in flavor, and full of excellent nutrients (most notably fiber and vitamins) with very few calories.

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If chips and salsa are your favorite things to serve when people come over to hang out, that’s fine. If you’re ready to graduate to the next level, go with good bread and a few great cheeses. Next, you might consider adding a bunch of grapes, some thinly sliced apples, some dried cherries or figs, and some olives to the mix. And then you’ll be ready to ratchet things up another notch with your own brilliant homemade party snacks and appetizers.