Summer Squash Recipes

Zucchini, Yellow, Crookneck, Patty Pan - Enjoy Your Squash

© Cyndi Allison

summer squash, www.morguefile.com

Get creative with your summer squash - zucchini, yellow, crookneck, Patty Pan. If you only have a couple of squash recipes, then you're missing out.

Summer is the time to celebrate thin-skinned squash. These are the summer squash. The fall and winter squash are heavier squash - more like pumpkins. The skins are much thicker. They're good too, but they're very different from summer squash.

Some people do not realize that the summer squash are interchangeable in recipes. They do differ in flavor a bit from squash to squash, but generally it's fine to use any summer squash in any recipe featuring a summer squash. In other words, it's fine to use yellow squash in a zucchini recipe.

Raw Summer Squash

If you're only cooking summer squash, then give it a try raw. It's really good. Let's call summer squash the new broccoli. Make up your favorite vegetable dip and use young summer squash as dippers. Or toss squash in a mixed salad. Again, it's better to use young squash. For a more exotic taste, combine fresh tomato chunks with summer squash, drizzle with olive oil and favorite seasonings like garlic, cilantro, lemon-pepper, or an all-purpose seasoning salt like 4-S. Really simple. Really good.

Fried Summer Squash

Another favorite in the south is, of course, frying summer squash.

These are a bit like potato chips but made with squash.

Skillet Summer Squash

A really quick way to cook summer squash is to cook it in a skillet with a bit of oil.

Skillet squash is yummy covered with cheese. Just add cheese. Cover again - just long enough for the cheese to melt.

Grilled Summer Squash

It's hard to beat fresh summer squash on the grill.

Squash is also great threaded for shish kabobs. Combine with tommy toe tomatoes, and that's some great eating.

Oops - The Squash is Kind of Big and Rubbery

Summer squash really grow fast, so it's easy to end up with non-premium squash. These are the ones that grow longer than perhaps 6 to 8 inches in length. They skins get a bit tougher, and the insides can be what is called "mealy" in the South.

Not to worry.

Larger squash are good for puree for baked dishes. Cook the squash. Run it through the blender. Measure it out in one cup sizes (or any size that you use often in recipes). Zip lock bags are just fine for storage.

If you don't have any good baked recipes for summer squash, try these:

Yellow Squash Casserole Recipe (also fine with other summer squash - but color is different)

Southern Zucchini Squash Casserole (other summer squash - again fine)

Zucchini Chocolate Cake (this one is fabulous)


The copyright of the article Summer Squash Recipes in Southern Cuisine is owned by Cyndi Allison. Permission to republish Summer Squash Recipes must be granted by the author in writing.


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Comments
May 12, 2008 3:12 PM
Guest :
Southern fried squash.... They left out some esential ingrediants, Milk, sweet or buttermilk. Soak the sliced squash in salted and peppered milk for about 10 minutes before shacking in the paper bag. Paperbag contains flour and cornmeal 50/50 mix.
May 12, 2008 6:02 PM
Cyndi Allison :
There are loads of ways of frying summer squash. This is the very basic way of doing it Southern. Soaking in milk is fine. A mixture of flour and cornmeal is also fine.

Nothing was left out here. It's just one way of doing it. Other ways are terrific as well.

My boys prefer the all flour shake. I like it either way.

I'd suggest playing around with it and seeing what works best for your family. Tastes differ. That's what makes life so interesting.
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