The Purloined Recipe

Winter squash, apples, and pears arrive earlier than you might guess. Summer apples, or transparents, begin in July, and the first winter squash are often here by August. However, we scarcely notice them until the fall weather has cooled everything down enough to make them seem appealing. It’s then that we might remember that squash and apples make a comfortable pairing, especially with a robust herb like rosemary, which unifies the sweet and savory notes of both parties.

Apple and pear ciders from the market are likely to be excellent, for fruit growers take great pride in making their own cider blends.

Butternut and Delicata squash will be the easiest varieties to use for this dish because they’re so easy to peel.

You can also make this dish using sweet potatoes, the starchy Japanese
varieties, or the sweeter, moister jewel and garnet types.

2 pounds Delicata or butternut squash
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons finely chopped rosemary
2 cups fresh unfiltered apple or pear cider
salt and freshly ground pepper
apple-balsamic or organic apple cider vinegar, to taste

Peel the squash, then dice it into ½-inch cubes or even smaller pieces. If using Delicata, remove the seeds with a long spoon, then slice it into rounds.

Melt the butter in a wide skillet and add the rosemary. Cook over medium heat to flavor the butter. After 3 minutes, add the squash and cider plus water to cover. Bring to a boil, add ½ teaspoon sea salt and simmer until the squash is tender, 20 to 25 minutes, by which time the juice will have reduced enough to provide a glaze for the squash. If not, raise the heat to reduce it quickly. Sprinkle on a teaspoon of vinegar and taste for salt. Add additional vinegar if you need to balance the sweetness, then season with pepper.

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Pastry

Basically just a shortcrust pastry. The quantities I use for one generous-sized galette are 12 oz. flour, 8 oz. butter 1-2 T sugar, salt, and water to mix.

2 ½ pounds butternut squash
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 small head of garlic, cloves separated but not peeled
1 small onion, finely chopped
10 fresh sage leaves, coarsely chopped, or 1 ½ tsp dried
½ cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
2/3 cup crumbled Roquefort or other blue cheese (3 oz.)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Halve the squash; scrape out and discard the seeds and fibers. Lightly brush each cut side of the squash with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Place the garlic cloves in the cavities and turn the squash halves cut side down on a baking sheet. Bake for about one hour, or until the squash is tender when pierced with a knife. Remove the garlic and if the cloves aren’t soft, return them to the oven and bake a little longer.

The recipe can be made to this point up to 3 days ahead; wrap the squash and garlic separately and refrigerate.)

Scoop out the squash flesh into a large bowl and mash with a fork until fairly smooth. If the flesh is very wet, place it in a colander and let drain for a couple of hours. Squeeze the garlic out of its skin and mash.

In a small skillet warm 2 tsp of olive oil over low heat. Add the onion and sage and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and beginning to color – 6-7 minutes. Add to the squash along with the mashed garlic and Romano. Mix well, season with salt and pepper and fold in half of the Roquefort.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

On a lightly floured baking sheet without sides, roll out the galette dough into a large round (or you can make individual smaller ones) and spread the squash filling over the dough, leaving a 1 ½ to 2 inch border. Sprinkle the remaining Roquefort on top. Fold up and pleat the border of the dough. Brush the dough with beaten egg.

Bake until the crust is nicely browned and cooked through. Serve hot or warm!

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2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 2-pound squash, peel, cubed\ – 6 Cups
1 14 1/2-oz can diced tomatoes, drained
2 tablespoons dry Sherry
2 1/2 C(or more) canned vegetable broth
2/3 cup nonfat milk
2 Tbs chopped fresh thyme or 2 tsp dried
Nonfat plain yogurt, Fresh thyme sprigs

Other varieties of sweet yellow-fleshed winter squash-such as acorn squash-are perfect for this soup.

Heat olive oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add butternut squash and sauté until beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and Sherry. Boil until almost all liquid evaporates, about 30 seconds.

Stir in 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until squash it very tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Puree soup in blender in batches until smooth. Return soup to same saucepan. Stir in milk and chopped thyme. Bring to simmer.

Season soup to taste with salt and pepper.

(Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover tightly and refrigerate. Bring soup to simmer before serving, thinning with more broth, if desired.)

Ladle soup into bowls. Top with dollop of yogurt. Garnish with thyme sprigs.

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by Molly Beverly

A native American trio flavored with smoky roasted peppers. Makes 4 servings.

1 poblano or Anaheim chile pepper
1 pound zucchini cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
2/3 cup cream or evaporated milk
1/2 pound cooked chicken, diced OR 6 ounces jack cheese diced (optional)

Roast pepper under the broiler or over a gas burner until skin is black and bubbly all over. Rinse in cold water, then slip the skin off. Remove seeds and stem.

Chop coarsely.

In a large pan heat the oil. Add the zucchini and fry for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until browned. Remove zucchini and set aside. Add to pan corn, chile and onion. Sauté until browned, stirring occasionally.

Just before serving add cream, zucchini, chicken (optional) and salt and simmer a few minutes. Add cheese (optional) and remove from heat. Serve immediately with rice.

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by Molly Beverly

The Italian version of an omelet. It’s quick and sufficient for any meal. Serve with sliced ripe tomatoes and crusty Italian bread.

Serves 4-6

1 pound zucchini
Salt
4 Tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 eggs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves OR 2 teaspoons dried oregano
Freshly ground pepper

Grate zucchini and toss with salt. Let drain for 30 minutes. Press out the liquid.

Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a skillet. Add garlic and fry, stirring continuously for 2 minutes. Add zucchini and sauté 5 minutes until tender. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

Beat the eggs in a bowl. Add Parmesan cheese, herbs and pepper. Stir in zucchini. Heat remaining 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a skillet. Add the egg mixture. Stir gently until set. Place under a broiler until top is firm or flip frittata over in pan and brown.

Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.

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by Molly Beverly

Substantially lower in sugar, oil and calories than the usual. Pleasantly sweet with an interesting indefinable flavor. In the interest of you serious zucchini farmers I did try this recipe with 2 cups of zucchini but it turned out heavy and dull.

Makes 1 loaf

3 cups whole wheat pastry flour OR 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour and 1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
1/3 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons grated Parmesan
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup grated zucchini
1/3 cut vegetable oil
1 cup plain yogurt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tablespoons grated onion

Mix together the flour, sugar, Parmesan cheese, baking powder, salt and zucchini. Add vegetable oil, yogurt, eggs and onion. Combine gently and stir until moistened. Pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 55 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. This bread gets soggy when frozen, so freeze up lots of zucchini now to bake into bread later.

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from Molly Beverly

6 servings

Hurray… summer squash. Official beginning of summer.

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds summer squash, diced
4 heaping Tablespoons finely chopped white onion
3/4 pound tomatoes, chopped (or substitute 1 cup canned, chopped tomatoes)
2 Serrano chiles, more or less to taste
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
4 Tablespoons epazote leaves (optional)
4 Tablespoons Mexican queso fresco, crumbled or muenster or jack cheese grated
1 teaspoon salt (to taste)

Heat oil in a large skillet and add squash, onion, epazote and salt. Stir and sauté until just tender, about 10 minutes. Blend tomatoes, chiles and garlic in blender.

Add to squash mixture. Cook until squash is soft and vegetables are moist but not runny. Adjust seasoning. Garnish with crumbled or grated cheese.

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from Danielle Adams

Filling:

1/2 small container of Ricotta Cheese
1/2 Medium Tomato – Chopped
Handful of Basil – Chopped
Little Bit of Diced Onion
Dash of Garlic Powder
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Batter:

Trader Joe’s or Other Buttermilk Baking Mix
1 Egg
1/2 Cup Water
Enough Veggie Oil to fill about 1/2 of a Medium Sized Skillet/Pan

Make the batter and allow to sit for a bit. Combine all ingredients for the filling.

Fill the Squash Blossoms with the filling, make sure to close the tops of the blossoms after by either pressing them down in to the filling a bit or gently twisting them a bit. Preheat your pan on med-Hi heat.

Dip the blossoms in to the batter and make sure your pan is hot enough. Gently place the blossoms into the pan and cook them until golden brown on each side. I usually turn down the heat to medium at this point.- they cook very rapidly and you should only need to turn them once. I add a little extra salt, pepper and red chili pepper flakes on them after frying too!

P.S. I am a total throw it together and see how it turns out cook… so please let me know if you have any questions about how I made these!!!!

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(Cream Of Squash Blossom Soup)

A delicate, creamy soup flecked with gold.

Serves 4

3 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1 large clove garlic, chopped
1 pound squash flowers (40-50), chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups light chicken stock
1/3 cup sour cream
2 Anaheim chiles or sweet peppers, charred, peeled, seeded and chopped

Melt butter and sauté onion and garlic until translucent. Add chopped flowers and salt. Cook over low flame, covered for 10 minutes or until flowers are tender. In blender buzz flowers with 1 1/2 cups stock.

Return to pan and add remaining stock. Cook over low flame for 8 minutes. Stir sour cream until smooth and add to soup. Reheat soup but do not boil, adjust seasoning and serve garnished with chopped chiles or peppers.

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From Molly Beverly

Serves 8 to 10

1 ounce dried mushrooms OR 4 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 onions, chopped
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium beets, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 bay leaf
10 peppercorns, crushed
1 Tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup chopped cabbage

If using dried mushrooms, simmer them in 3 cups water for 15 minutes. Set aside.

Sauté fresh mushrooms in oil until golden. Add onions and sauté until translucent. Add beets, carrot and celery, cook 5 minutes. Add 6 cups boiling water, bay leaf, peppercorns, lemon juice or vinegar, and tomato paste and simmer 15 minutes. Drain dried mushrooms from stock and chop them. Add mushroom stock and mushrooms to soup.

Add cabbage and simmer 20 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf.

Taste, add salt and pepper as needed. Cool to let flavors blend. Serve cold or reheat with sour cream.

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