Zuchinni. Yellow Crook-neck. Patty pan. These vegetables are running my life right now. You can see them skulking about, just outside your field of vision, waiting for their chance to come in the house. They creep up to the porch at night and as soon as someone opens a door, they rush inside and refuse to leave. And down in the garden, their partner in crime, Larry, is growing reinforcements by the -you guessed it – bucketful. So you know what I do? I cook those suckers!
Here is one way that is quick and easy. First, you need some squash [no squash you say? park your car in my driveway for about 5 minutes and I will take care of that for you], some onions and peppers and some garlic, salt pepper and olive oil. That’s it – no herbs or other seasonings. We are going for pure squashiness today. Obviously, if you don’t care for one of the ingredients, just leave it out. Except if you don’t like summer squash. That would just be silly.
Prepping your ingredients will simplify the cooking. Clean and chop the veg.
Hmmmm. A squadron of alien spaceship squashes just made their way into the kitchen.
No problem – we’ll just chop them up and put them with the rest. Salt and pepper everything generously.
Put a couple tablespoons of olive oil in the pan, turn the heat to high and when it is nearly to the smoke point, put in the squash and spread it out. Squirt another tablespoon of olive oil in there too.
Don’t be stirring that around now. Leave the heat high and let that first side get nicely carmelized and yummy. Then you want to more or less turn it all over rather than stirring.
See that nice color? That is flavor and you want as much as possible. Keeping the heat high and not stirring much are the keys to lots of color and sealing the surface of the vegetables so that they don’t give up the liquid trapped in their cells.
Keep an eye on things and when the bottom layer of squash is browned, get some unbrowned pieces down on the bottom. If it starts to get too dry, add another tablespoon or so of olive oil. When about half of the squash is nicely colored, add your onions and peppers. Now you can do a bit more stirring. You want the onions and peppers to carmelize too, but they will burn a little more easily than the squash, so you have to be more careful.
Once the onions and peppers are about half done, lower the heat and add the garlic. You especially don’t want to brown the garlic much since that will give it a bitter taste. If you prefer a milder garlic flavor, you can add it a little sooner or use a little less, but again, you have to watch it more carefully too. We do not skimp on the garlic. I don’t like to say we use more than most people, but we are never bothered by vampires. Mosquitos never bite us either. And we don’t have to worry much about each other having an affair really – no one wants to get close enough to us.
About 2 or 3 minutes after adding the galic, you are done. Total cooking time was probably 10 or 12 minutes – maybe 15 for a big pan of squash. And look at this:
Man – do I love summer!
One of my favorites! I can almost smell it!
Oh yummy. I have to try that carmelizing thing. Thanks for the technique!
If it wasn’t so darn hot I would jump up and try this recipe right now. However, I don’t even want to turn on the stove – it might make it hotter here!
Great looking food though!
I’ll bet your kitchen smells heavenly when you make this!
I am going to have to try it. thanks for the recipe!
‘Ya did it to me again! I can only drool but not taste. ; ) Being a rather inexperienced cook, I am simply amazed that you can cook and take pictures at the same time without burning anything. (beautiful, tastefully arranged pictures I might add!)
I know you will be quite impressed, though, that while I am reading your blog I am eating a huge salad using the homemade Caesar salad dressing that I made with my own hands last night! I know I am woefully showing my studipity to all , but I finally found anchovies with the canned fish at the grocery store after looking in the in the fresh produce section and the canned vegetable section. ; )
Oh…I could eat that for breakfast! I’d be on my own though – no one around here eats zukes unless they are deepfried and covered in ranch dressing;)
Man, I need to hire a live-in cook. Who also gardens. And does dishes.
That’s not asking too much, is it? :)
sara
http://www.gitzengirl.blogspot.com
mental p – I long for that smell in the winter time. I am so spoiled by the fresh ones in the summer that I can’t tolerate the ones in the store.
ruth – you are welcome! That technique works for getting a nice sear on most anything.
trisha – I have a “no oven int eh summer” rule, but I hafta turn on the stove or we would starve to death!
tonjia – it smells awfully good!
cm – anchovies! yuk! fish! yuk!
olly – I have eaten it for breakfast. Makes a great omelet filling. and deep fried zukes are delish!
sarah – it’snot asking too much if you have the money to pay for it. I just want a housecleaning maid who will clean up when I am done cooking and mate the socks.
Yummy and what a cute post! I think I have said it before – I wish you were my neighbor and would bring me over a pot full of some of your good cooking!
Take care – Kellan
This looks Delicious!!! May try this tonight!! Happy cooking girl!hughugs
Kellan – if you were my neighbor, you would be locking your door if you saw me coming – with a grocery bag full of squash!
donna – let me know if you – I always like to hear how people make out with one of my recipes!
That looks so good and you are so lucky with all that home grown veg.
I’ve never seen alien squashes before haha! But i bet they tasted really good. Infact you are making me hungry!!
Thanks for your kind comment on my blog.
Love,
Amanda x
Hey, that looks great. I prefer cooking in bacon grease. Do you think it would change the carmelizing? I don’t think so???
About hiring help for the house, the country western singer Sara Evans wanted to hire someone to help her at her house. She told the lady that came to interview that basically what she wanted was a WIFE. I thought that would be good. Someone who would see what needed to be done and DO IT. :)
YR
Oh that looks so good! I will have to try this!
thanks
This recipe is a definite keeper! Thank you! I love squash. And onions. And peppers. And garlic! Also, it’s so pretty!
That dish looks good! I love sauteed squash! Flavorful and summery!
Cheers,
Rosa
That dish looks good! I love sauteed squash! Flavorful and summery!
Cheers,
Rosa
Amanda – they are very much like any other summer squash, but wuth a slightly different flavor. Restaurants serve them in among other baby vegetables sometimes.
YR – I have always wanted a wife but Larry says no :( So selfish, ya know?
Hi Laurie – hope you give it a try and thanks for stopping by!
Pat – thanks – it is very nice to look at isn’t it?
Hi Rosa – thanks for stopping by!
One of my very favorite summer dishes. Just nothing better!
I’m catching up – your astilbe and SWF photos are wonderful.