Ways to cook summer squash

One of the most delicious of the summer vegetables is summer squash. As the weather turns hot, these little yellow beauties are becoming abundant in the stores and in the farmers markets. In the summer, the squash are smaller, sweeter and much more tender. In other words, they are at their peak.

There are many ways that this delicious vegetable can be prepared. Some are simple and others more complex but with the delicacy of the flavor it is wise to let the flavor of the squash shine through and not be covered by other stronger flavors. 

Instructions  

No matter the technique you use to cook your squash, you will need to prepare it. Give it a good wash, cut off the ends and remove any damaged spots on the skin, You do not need to peel the squash, the inside is do delicate that removing the peel will allow it to lose its shape. 

Steam

To steam summer squash, slice the squash into quarter inch thick disk. Prepare the pot you plan to use to steam the summer squash by placing water in the pot and then add the steam tray. Place the squash in the steam tray and place the pot on the burner at high heat. When it begins to boil place a cover on the pot and leave covered for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and place the cooked squash in a bowl and season with butter and whatever herbs your family likes. It is now ready to serve. 

Grill

Grilling summer squash is a very popular cooking method. Pre-heat the grill and prepare the squash the same way you would for steaming except cut the disks 1/2 inch. They will stand up better to grilling if they are thicker. Use a grilling tray, this is a very juicy vegetable and it will fall through the grill if you try to grill directly on the heat.  Brush the tray with olive and then brush the squash and sprinkle with rosemary, dill or oregano. Place the tray on the grill and watch closely. Flip when you have grill marks and again watch closely. This will cook quickly.

If you don't have a grill tray you can use aluminum foil or cut the squash in half and place directly in the grill after applying the olive oil and herbs.  

Baked

If you prefer, you can bake your summer squash. You can do it as a casserole, cut  all the squash into disks and layer seasoning  with salt, pepper and butter and baked at 350 degrees for an hour. This works for whatever amount of summer squash you may have.

No matter how you decide to cook your summer squash, it will be a perfect side dish to serve with so many meals that it is bound to become a family favorite.