Summer Squash Recipes

Roxanne’s Zucchini Tart – 10/08/2020

Yet another recipe from our friend Laure, who makes us blush when she writes: I improvised this tart with zucchinis from my friend Roxanne’s garden. It’s even better with Arlington Gardens’ own summer squash!

  • 2 or 3 zucchini
  • A store bought pastry dough (puff pastry or short pastry)
  • Green or red pesto
  • Dijon mustard
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup milk (or half milk, half cream)
  • Grated cheese (Cheddar or Swiss) to sprinkle
  • Espelette pepper or other powdered pimento
  • Salt and black pepper
  1. Preheat your oven to 350⁰.
  2. Butter a quiche pan et line it with your dough. Keep cold.
  3. Cut the zucchini in little cubes (a little larger than ¼ inch). The zucchini will cook but will stay crunchy. Season with salt, pepper and the pimento if you like.
  4. Spread 2 tbsps. of mustard on the surface of the lined dough. Do the same with the pesto, on top of the mustard. Cover with the zucchini cubes.
  5. In a bowl, whisk 2 eggs with a fork. Add salt and pepper. Whisk in the milk (or the milk-cream mixture).
  6. Pour all over the zucchini and sprinkle with cheese. Pop in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden.

Simple Zucchini Salad – 13/07/2020

Increasingly, we find ourselves cultivating simplicity: on the farm, in our lives, and in our plates. It doesn’t get much simpler (or more delicious) than this in terms of a summer squash salad — a suggestion from our friend and market habitué, Kiron.

  • 1lb thinly sliced zucchini (Kiron uses a mandoline)
  • 150 g flaked Pecorino Romano
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • salt and pepper

Toss lightly, then eat!

Rondini stuffed with feta, olives and mint – 29/07/2014

Rondes de Nice farcies - Stuffed RondiniLooking for ideas for something to do with our Rondes de Nice? Here is a suggestion from Frédéric Mayrand, a member at our Town of Mount-Royal drop-off.

Serves 4

  • 8 round zucchini, or rondini
  • 200 g of feta cheese
  • 1 handful of pine nuts
  • 1 handful of pitted Greek (kalamata) olives
  • 3 good-sized garlic cloves
  • 3 shallots or one larger onion
  • 2 tbsps of chopped mint
  • olive oil
  • salt & pepper
  1. Heat your oven to 180°C (355°F).
  2. Remove the zucchini tops and empty them gently with a small spoon. Set aside the flesh, chopped coarsely. Place the emptied zucchini in an oven-proof dish, with their tops and pre-cook for 15 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, peel and chop the shallots (or onion) and the garlic cloves. Grill the pine nuts in a frying pan without any oil. Set them aside.
  4. Add a bit of olive oil to the frying pan. Fry the shallots (or onion) until tender, then add the chopped zucchini, the garlic and a bit of salt. Cook for approximately 15 minutes at medium to high heat, stirring regularly, to really soften the zucchini and get rid of any excess liquid. Remove the mix from the frying pan with a slotted spoon, taking care to let them drip in order to drain off any left-over water. Chop the black olives.
  5. In a salad bowl, mix the chopped zucchini, pine nuts and olives with the crumbled feta. Add pepper to taste. Fill the zucchini shells with this mixture, top them and return everything to the oven for 10 minutes at 200°C (390°F) for 10 minutes. They may be served hot or warm, according to your fancy

CHILLED CREAM OF ZUCCHINI ‘À la Laure’  – 12/07/2014

A simple and versatile zucchini entrée from our friend Laure. While she suggests it should be served chilled, it is equally delicious served hot. Enjoy.
Serves 4 to 6

  • Onions are optional, but if you like them, chop a single one up into large pieces and brown it in a bit of olive oil in a covered pot. Add one litre of stock of your choice (vegetable, chicken, herb) and bring to a boil.
  • Meanwhile, select 5 to 6 large zucchinis and peel them in alternating stripes. Remove the tips, cut them into large pieces and drop them into the stock. If the stock is not already salted, add salt, and pepper, to taste. The zucchinis will release a lot of water, so it is not necessary to cover them completely. Cover the pot, and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the zucchinis are very tender
  • Set aside 2 to 3 ladles of the liquid in a salad bowl. Use a handheld blender to obtain a nice creamy texture. If necessary, add a bit of the extra liquid that has been set aside. Let cool, then refrigerate.
  • You may add 2 tablespoons of chopped mint, chopped basil or pesto, or of any other herb of your choice as a garnish. You may also add a bit of 10% cream.
  • Serve topped with fleur de sel sea salt, freshly ground pepper and a trickle of fin olive oil.

ZUCCHINI Gazpacho – 12/07/2014

A couple of partners told us about this Italian classic towards the end of the season last year, something their mother and/or grandmother make as a simple but classy addition to a summer meal. We wanted to try it, so we looked up “zucchini gazpacho” on the internet – this was the first recipe that popped up. It works with any of our summer squashes, not just zucchini. A cool, light alternative to grilled or roasted summer squash that’s worth a try.

Serves 2 to 4

  • 1 zucchini (or other summer squash)
  • 1 cup of water
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • 1 tsp of salt
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 dash of cayenne pepper
  • 1 tbsp of olive oil
  • 3 sprigs of fresh tarragon (or dill)

Place the ingredients in your blender and blend until smooth. Chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.

Chocolate  Zucchini Bread – 18/07/2011

A variation on the zucchini bread theme, from Montreal West CSA member Cindy Smith. The recipe, which is from Cindy’s mother, Linda, calls for nuts, raisins or coconut – but take note: Cindy says the coconut version is “to die for.”

Makes 2 smaller loaves or one large one.

  • 2 1/2  cups flour
  • 1/2 cup cocoa
  • 2 1/2 tsps baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tsps baking soda
  • 1 tsp each salt & cinnamon
  • 3/4 cup margarine (or butter)
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 tsps vanilla
  • 2 cups coarsely grated zucchini
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 cup nuts, raisins or coconut
  1. Combine first five ingredients, set aside.
  2. Cream butter & sugar, add eggs 1 at a time, beat well.
  3. Stir in vanilla & zucchini.
  4. Add dry ingredients, alternate with milk.
  5. Add nuts, raisins or coconut.
  6. Bake at 350°F for 1 hour in a greased pan.

Cream Cheese Icing

  • 1 package cream cheese
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 cup icing sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla

Arlington Gardens Zucchini Bread – 06/07/2011

Zucchini bread, like carrot cake, is a wonderful transformation of a vegetable into a delicious dessert. To quote our 7-year old daughter: “I don’t like zucchinis, but I LOVE zucchini bread.” This recipe has a little less sugar and butter/oil than other recipes we’ve tried. The recipe is good, but we made it a few days ago with Demerara sugar (an unrefined sugar extracted primarily from sugar cane, rather than sugar beets; the minimal processing gives demerara sugar a unique flavor and texture) and whole wheat flour – and it was even good-er.

Makes 2 loaves, 1 bundt cake or a dozen muffins.

  • 3 eggs beaten
  • 1 1/3 cup sugar
  • 3 tsps vanilla
  • 3 cups grated fresh zucchini, unpeeled
  • 2/3 cup melted unsalted butter
  • 2 tsps baking soda
  • Pinch salt
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 tsps cinnamon
  • 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. In a large bowl, mix together eggs, sugar and vanilla. Mix in grated zucchini and melted butter.
  3. Combine baking soda, salt, flour and cinnamon. Add this dry mixture, a third at a time, to the liquid mixture. Fold in the nuts, if using.
  4. Divide batter equally between two 5X9 inch buttered and floured loaf pans. Bake for 50 minutes to an hour (check for doneness at 50 minutes) or until a wooden pick inserted at the center comes out clean. For muffins, bake 35 minutes.
  5. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

Ratatouille – 12/08/2010

Everyone has his/her own version of this emblematic summer dish – but if, like us, you have little time to spare and find the thought of individually pan-frying vegetables in olive oil tedious, we offer you this recipe from our friend Laure. All you have to do is slice your vegetables as you like, the oven will do the rest: cut into pieces two eggplants, five zucchini (green and/or yellow), two onions, three peppers (green, red and/or yellow) and crush five cloves of garlic. Add thyme, pepper and salt, olive oil and two or three splashes of balsamic vinegar; mix. Empty the vegetables into an oven dish and place in an oven heated to 475 degrees for 50 minutes. Serve with barbequed sausages cooked on the grill. This recipe handily serves six to eight people; adjust quantities as you see fit. It’s quick and easy – and delicious, to boot!