Basil Summer Squash Recipes

SAUTEED SUMMER SQUASH WITH BASIL

Steps:

• Cut the squash in thick slices. Heat the oil in a large skillet and saute the squash over high heat so that it is golden brown on both sides, but not overcooked. It should still be slightly crunchy. Remove with a slotted spoon as the pieces are cooked and place them in a serving bowl.
• Add the garlic to skillet, cook until golden. Add with oil left in pan to the squash. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with basil and toss. Serve hot or at room temperature.

SUMMER SQUASH SOUP WITH BASIL

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan or stockpot, add zucchini and onion. Saute for 5 minutes or until onions are translucent and zucchini is crisp tender. Then add stock, bring to a boil, reduce heat and partially cover and cook for 25 minutes. Add basil during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Mix the butter and flour together into a paste. Remove 1 cup of simmering stock and whisk in butter mixture until smooth. Add back into soup, stir until thickened. Remove soup from heat to a blender and puree until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Add lemon juice and serve with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt.

SUMMER SQUASH FRITTERS WITH BASIL & LEMONY SOUR CREAM

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, toss together the grated squash and the salt. Line a fine-mesh sieve with several layers of paper towels or cheesecloth. Add salted squash to the sieve and place over a bowl to drain. Let sit for five minutes then gather up the sides of paper towels or cheesecloth and gently squeeze the liquid out of the squash (there will probably be quite a bit).
• Add the egg to a medium bowl and beat lightly with a fork. Add the flour, basil, onion, black pepper, and the squash. Stir with fork to combine.
• Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 - 2 tablespoons of olive oil, enough to lightly coat most of the bottom of the skillet. Once the oil is hot, add fritter mixture to pan in approximately 2 tablespoon increments, working quickly to spread the fritter into a round shape before it begins to cook. I usually cook 3 fritters at a time; any more and the pan gets crowded and it's hard to manage them all. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until golden brown, and flip to cook the other side until golden and the fritter is cooked through, about 1-2 more minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Add more oil to the pan and repeat with remaining batter.
• To make the sour cream topping, add the sour cream, zest, juice, and salt to a bowl and stir to combine.
• Serve fritters right away, topped with a drizzle of lemony sour cream and garnish with basil leaves if desired.

PAN-COOKED SUMMER SQUASH WITH TOMATOES AND BASIL

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat in a wide, heavy skillet. Add the zucchini. Cook, stirring or shaking the pan, until the zucchini is lightly seared and beginning to soften, three to five minutes. Remove from the pan, and set aside.
• Add the remaining olive oil to the pan, then the garlic. Cook, stirring, just until fragrant -- less than 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes. Cook, stirring, until the tomatoes have begun to cook down, about five minutes. Return the zucchini to the pan, add salt and pepper to taste, and reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring often, until the zucchini is tender and translucent and the tomatoes have cooked down to a fragrant sauce. Stir in the basil, and taste and adjust seasonings. Remove from the heat and serve hot, or allow to cool and serve at room temperature.

SMOTHERED YELLOW SQUASH WITH BASIL

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then add half of squash and sauté, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer browned squash to a bowl, then heat remaining tablespoon oil and sauté remaining squash in same manner. Return squash in bowl to skillet. Add garlic and sauté, stirring occasionally, 1 minute. Add water, salt, and pepper and simmer briskly, covered, until squash is tender and most of liquid is evaporated, 6 to 7 minutes. Stir in basil.

SUMMER SQUASH AND BASIL PASTA

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Cook garlic, stirring occasionally, until very lightly browned around the edges, about 4 minutes. Add squash; season with salt. Cook, tossing occasionally, until squash begins to break down and gets jammy (they may start to stick to the skillet a bit, which means you are there!), 12-15 minutes. Toss in 1 tsp. Aleppo-style pepper.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente.
• Transfer pasta to skillet using a slotted spoon or spider and add 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid. Cook pasta, adding 2 oz. Parmesan in stages along with more pasta cooking liquid as needed, until sauce coats pasta and pasta is al dente. Toss in lemon juice and most of the basil.
• Divide pasta among bowls and top with more Parmesan and Aleppo-style pepper and remaining basil.

PAN SEARED SUMMER SQUASH WITH FRESH BASIL AND LEMON VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• For the vinaigrette, mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, fresh basil and salt.
• Slice the zucchini into large rounds.
• Warm a 10-inch skillet (Whole Foods suggests cast iron) until very hot.
• Place the zucchini in pan and sear over high heat, until blackened, 2-3 minutes.
• Flip onto other side and sear additional 2-3 minutes, until both sides are blackened.
• Place zucchini on a large platter. Spoon vinaigrette over zucchini. Serve warm.

BASIL SUMMER SQUASH

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in stainless steel pot over high heat.
• Add garlic and jalapeno, stir until garlic begins to brown.
• Add soy sauce, beets, squash and salt.
• Add a dash of water, just to keep things moist.
• Stir occasionally, until thickened, about 3-4 minutes.
• Add onion, stir until onion softens slightly.
• Add basil, stir until wilted, about 30 seconds.
• Serve immediately, over rice if you like.