Posted by Mark Scialla
Squash has got to be my favorite summer veggie to grow and eat. Squash takes such little maintenance, and yet yields an abundant harvest all summer long. The bushy plant should keep you well fed.
There are so many ways to prepare summer squash, cooked or raw. Summer squash is not as nutrient dense as its winter-ready siblings, but does contain a fair amount of potassium, vitamin C and carotenes. Seems like we’ll need all the carotenoids we can get to protect us from this blazing summer sun. I like to keep my recipes simple, and my favorite method to cook squash is to grill it. After all, it is summer. Who wants to cook inside anyway?
If you started your plants indoors, or bought starts, you should be getting the first of these delicious yellow treats very soon. This very simple recipe can easily be executed by even the clumsiest of chefs.
You will need:
3 to 4 ripe yellow squashes
1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Preheat the grill to medium-low heat. This could take a little while if you have a charcoal grill, but the smokey flavor on the squash will be worth it so plan ahead.
2. While the grill warms cut your squash horizontally into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices
3. Lightly brush your squash with extra virgin olive oil on both sides and season with salt, pepper or any of your favorite seasonings.
4. Once the grill is ready, grill slices until desired tenderness is achieved. This should be about 5 minutes on each side. Brush on more olive oil to prevent burning or sticking.
I pulled a sprout out of my worm bin and planted it, and it's looking like it might be squash. Should I plant it now or wait until next season? And how long will it take to fruit?
ReplyDeleteRach ill,
ReplyDeletethanks for the question. Since it is a sprout I think you should plant it now since it won't last to next season. If it is summer squash it will take 45 to 90 days to fruit. If it is winter squash it will take 90 to 120 days.
Keep the questions coming!