Zucchini Pickles

1 quart Heinz distilled white vinegar
2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup salt
2 teaspoons celery seed
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 teaspoon dry mustard
5 lb. (5-6 inch) zucchini, unpeeled, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 qt. thinly sliced onions (4-5 medium)

Combine first 6 ingredients in saucepan; bring to a boil. Pour over zucchini and onions; let stand 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

In saucepan, bring mixture to a boil, then simmer 3 minutes.

Continue simmering while quickly packing one clean, hot jar at a time. Fill to within 1/2 inch of top making sure vinegar solution covers vegetables. Cap each jar at once.

Process 5 minutes in boiling-water bath.

Makes 6-7 pints.




Zucchini Relish

8 Cups Finely Chopped Zucchini
2 Cups Finely Chopped Onions
1 Cup Finely Chopped Red Pepper
½ Cup Finely Chopped Green Pepper
¼ Cup Pickling Salt
2½ Cups Sugar
1½ Cups White Vinegar
1½ Tsp Dry Mustard
1 Tsp Celery Seeds
½ Tsp Coarsely Ground Black Pepper
½ Tsp Turmeric
2 Tsp Cornstarch
1 Tbsp Water


In A Large Bowl, Combine Zucchini, Onions, Red & Green Peppers, Sprinkle With Salt. Stir To Distribute Salt Through Vegetables. Let Stand For 1 ? 2 Hours, Stirring Periodically. Drain, Rinse Thoroughly Under Cold Running Water & Drain Again, Pressing Out Excess Moisture.

In Large Heavy Saucepan, Combine Sugar, Vinegar, Mustard, Celery Seeds, Pepper & Turmeric. Bring To A Boil; Add Drained Vegetables & Return To A Boil, Stirring Frequently. Adjust Heat To Simmer Relish, Uncovered, 25 Minutes Or Until Vegetables Are Tender & Sauce Is Thick.

In Small Bowl, Stir Together Cornstarch & Water; Mix Into Relish. Cook, Stirring Constantly, Until Clear, About 5 Minutes. Pour Into Hot Sterilized Canning Jars, Leaving 1/8 Inch Headspace. Seal Immediately, Label & Store In Cool, Dark, Dry Place.

This one takes a little more work. But it’s a great side dish, especially for a sit-down dinner party.

Zucchini Timbales

4 cups zucchini, shredded
Salt
2 tbls olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped fine
3 tbls fresh herbs, minced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
5 eggs, beaten
2 cups heavy cream
Black pepper to taste
Butter
1 cup dry bread crumbs
Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350.

Sprinkle zucchini generously with salt. Set in colander and let drain 30 minutes. Gather squash in hands and squeeze to release moisture (I wring in a towel).

Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and sauté until soft. Add garlic and sauté one minute longer. Remove from heat and toss with squash. Stir in minced herbs. Add beaten eggs and cream and season to taste.

Butter bottom and sides of a 50 cup mold or six pudding cups or timbale molds. Dust molds with bread crumbs. Fill with squash mixture. Transfer to deep baking pan and add hot water to reach 2/3 up the sides. Bake, uncovered, about 1 hour for large mold, 45 minutes for small cups. Let cool 5 minutes.

Loosen with sharp knife and unmold onto platter. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

From Carol Gelles’ Wholesome Harvest, comes this savory dish:

Sauteed Baby Squash & Fennel

1 tbls olive oil
2 cups baby squash
1 cup sliced fennel bulb
¼ cup red onion, sliced
1 tbls fresh lemon juice
½ tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Add the squash, fennel, and onion. Cook, stirring until the onion is softened. Add the lemon juice, fennel seed, salt & pepper and cook, covered, 3-5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

This next was given me years ago, but I forget who it came from. Doesn’t change how good it is:

Zucchini & Carrots with Herbs

3 cups mixed zucchini and carrots, sliced
½ cup butter
2 tsp sweet basil
1 tsp tarragon
½ tsp rosemary
Garlic poweder to taste
1 tbls Sherry

Melt butter over low heat. Add herbs and vegetables. Steam until vegetables are tender crisp.

In Turkey, zucchini fritters with yogurt sauce are very popular. Here is a traditional recipe:

Kabak Mucveri

2 zucchini peeled and grated
3 spring onions, greens and whites finely chopped
6 springs fresh dill, finely chopped
5-6 sprigs fresh broad leaf parsley, finely chopped
6-7 springs fresh mint, finely chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
½ cup crumbled white Turkish cheese or feta cheese (I use chevre)
3 eggs
¼ cup plus 2 tbls all purpose flour
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
¾ cup vegetable oil for frying

Squeeze the grated zucchini to remove any excess juice and place in a large bowl. Add the onions, dill, parsley, mint, cheese, eggs, flour, salt and pepper to taste to the zucchini. Stir to mix well.

Place the oil in a skillet and heat. Drop zucchini mixture by large tablespoonfuls into the hot oil and fry until golden brown on one side, then turn ove3r and continue cooking until the other side is also golden brown. Before dropping each batch stir the batter to assure the fritters won’t be watery. Drain well on paper towels.

Turkish Yogurt Sauce

2-3 cloves garlic
1 tsp salt
1 cup plain yogurt (I prefer Greek yogurt for this if you can find it)

Crush the garlic with the salt in a mortar until it is paste-like. Add it to the yogurt and mix well. Cover and refrigerate at least 20 minutes so the flavors can meld.

I meant, in my last post, to issue a reminder that all summer squashes are interchangeable in virtually any recipe. So, if the recipe calls for zucchini, and you’ve covered up with crooknecks, use them instead

This is another one that’s been kicking around our family for years. I have no idea where it came from.

Layered Zucchini

1 tsp butter
1 lb small zucchini, unpeeled, sliced ¼” thick, lengthwise
2 small tomatoes, sliced thin
½ Spanish onion, sliced thin
Salt & pepper to taste
4 tbls brown sugar
4 tbls butter
½ cup grated Parmesan

Spread 1 tsp butter around a 5 x 9 inch loaf pan. Place half the zucchini slices in pan, overlapping. Cover with half the sliced tomatoes, then half the sliced onion. Sprinkle with salt & pepper. Repeat layers.

Dot brown sugar and butter over top layer. Sprinkle on cheese.

Bake in 350F oven for 1 hour.

This next was clipped for a Gourmet Magazine article many years ago. I don’t remember exactly when, but certainly no later than the late ‘70s. :

Zucchini and Cheese with Mushrooms

In a vegetable steamer steam 4 zucchini, scrubbed and cut into ¼ inch slices, over ¾ inch boiling water, covered, for 5-7 minutes, or until they are just tender.

In a skillet cook ½ pound mushrooms, sliced, and ½ cup chopped onion in 2 tablespoons butter over moderate heat, stirring, until the onion is softened and add ½ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Cover the bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish with half the zucchini, top the zucchini with the mushrooms mixture, and sprinkle the dish with ½ teaspoon each of basil and oregano.

Add 1 cup ricotta, top it with 4 ounces mozzarella, grated, and add the remaining zucchini. Cover the zucchini with 1 cup tomato sauce, sprinkle 4 ounces mozzarella, grated, over the dish, and bake the dish in a preheated moderate oven (350F) for 20 to 25 minutes, or until it is heated through and bubbling. Serves four.

Jim McNair is probably the most prolific cookbook writer in America. Yet his wonderful little tome, Jim McNair’s Squash Cookbook is all but unknown. Too bad, as it contains a welter of great recipes, including this one for:

Summer Squash Soup

3 tbls unsalted butter or olive oil
¼ cup minced shallot or 1 cup chopped leek, white portion only if making yellow soup
2 tsp minced garlic
10 cups (about 3 lbs) stemmed and coarsely chopped yellow or green summer squash
About 1 quart homemade vegetable or chicken stock
½ cup heavy cream, light cream, or half & half
Salt
Freshly ground black or white pepper
Soy sauce (optional)
Edible flowers, such as borage, nasturtium, or squash blossoms for garnish (optional)
Whole or snipped chives for garnish

In a saucepan heat the butter or oil over medium-low heat. Add the shallot or leek, cover, and cook until soft, about ten minutes. Stir in the garlic and sauté 1 minute longer. Add the squash, cover, reduce the heat to low and cook for 8 minutes. Remove the cover, stir in enough chicken stock to cover barely, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the squash is tender, about 15 minutes.

Working in batches, transfer squash mixture to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Pour into a clean saucepan, stir in the cream, and season to taste with salt, pepper, and soy sauce if using. Place over medium low heat to heat through, about 4 minutes; do not boil. Ladle into warmed soup bowls and garnish with blossoms, if using, and chives.

Note: for a really classy presentation, make two batches—one with yellow squash and the other with green. Sever together in bowls by pouring from two equally filled ladles simultaneously. Then draw a wooden skewer through the edge to create a swirled pattern.

Zucchini Apple Pie

Yield 1 pie
1 large zucchini (to make about 10 cups thinly sliced)
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup water
1 10-inch deep dish pie crust
1/2 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 dash salt
For crumb topping
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/3 cup margarine

Peel zucchini and slice in half lengthwise.
Scrape out soft center and seeds, and slice thin.
Combine lemon juice and water.
Put sliced zucchini and lemon water into a deep skillet with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer, stirring often until zucchini is limp& opaque.
Volume will reduce by about half.
Drain but do not rinse.
Leave over sink to continue to drain.
Fit pie crust to pan.
In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg& salt.
Add zucchini slices to bowl and toss to mix well.
Put zucchini mixture in pie shell.
For crumb topping, mix all dry ingredients.
Cut in margarine.
Put all crumbs on top of pie.
Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 45 minutes.

REVIEWS:
This was great. Followed the recipe exactly. Husband & neighbors thought it was apple. I think that maybe next time I'll try a little thicker slice of zucchini to make it look more like apple. Anyway this is a keeper. Jan A.
I made this tonight. It was good, and the recipe was easy to follow. I think I just prefer the texture of real apples. We did put vanilla ice cream on top since that is how we like our apple pie. Usually I use thick slices of apple, so I may try this out again with thicker slices of zucchini. The crumb crust was excellent, I'll probably make that again for my apple crisp. In any case it was an interesting way to use up some extra zucchini from the garden, thanks for the recipe.

PINEAPPLE in a loaf of zuke-bread... COOL, mama! Gonna have to try that one 4 sure!