Archive for Squash, Summer (Yellow Crookneck)
Pasta Primavera with Summer Squash
As we drove home from the farm with a patty pan and more crookneck squash in the backseat, it dawned on us that it might be nice to make “pasta primavera,” a simple Italian dish prepared with pasta and fresh vegetables. Although “primavera” means “spring” we decided to bend the rules by using summer squash!
The crooknecks and patty pans contributed a soft, nutty flavor that fit perfectly with our seasonings: fresh basil and Parmesan cheese. At the last minute, a creamy sauce came to mind as the perfect way to meld all the flavors together. It made this dish substantial enough to hold its own as a light summer meal.
“Las Cruces Dal” with Split Peas and Squash
We love international cuisine, but we also love fresh, local food. Fortunately for us, we certainly don’t see why we can’t have the best of both worlds!
As we were browsing through Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2004, we came across a Split Pea-Spinach Dal with Cauliflower recipe and started wondering how we could adapt it to what we brought home from the farm and what we had in our pantry. This week, our options included a couple of zucchini, a crookneck squash, a bag of split peas, and a few miscellaneous farm goodies.
A dal is a spicy Indian dish traditionally made with legumes and seasoned with a variety of spices and other flavorings (e.g. mango, tamarind, cumin, ginger, etc.) , depending on regional preferences. So we decided to make a “Las Cruces Dal,” named after the city we live in.
Chicken Pot Pie with Squash
Yesterday, we harvested a little over three bushels of squash (yellow and green zucchini, crookneck, and patty pan). The crookneck squash plants are now at their peak of production, cranking out these delicious delectables like there’s no tomorrow.
Although these warty looking squash won’t win any beauty pageants, they’ll certainly score major points in the flavor department. They have a distinct and hearty flavor and a texture that adds further depth to any dish. That’s why we chose a chicken pot pie as the context for the crooknecks to perform.
We used homemade dough that was left over from the previous night’s empanada meal to house a creamy chicken and squash filling. Much to our delight, everything came together wonderfully, making for a comforting and filling meal. This is how we made it work:
