I have always wished I were more of a fan of summer squash. On its own, it tends to be watery, chalk-tasting and pretty bland. Add some fresh herbs and a bit of cheese and toasted breadcrumbs, then I’m interested.
When I saw this recipe for a summer squash gratin in the current issue of Food & Wine, I decided to try it. I cut the recipe down for serve just Larry and me, added some fresh herbs from the garden and turned down the suggested oven temperature to offset my hot oven.
Of course, this recipe is not a true gratin in the classic sense, but it pulls together quickly for a summer supper or side dish.
- ½ teaspoon unsalted butter
- 2 medium-sized zucchini, trimmed and sliced lengthwise, ⅛ inch thick
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 Tablespoon each of fresh dill, thyme and parsley, chopped
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup grated Gruyere cheese
- sweet paprika
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Butter a gratin dish or shallow baking dish and set aside.
- Combine the sliced zucchini, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, dill, thyme and parsley in a bowl and toss together.
- Arranged the tossed zucchini in the gratin dish. Bake for 20 minutes.
- Sprinkle with panko, then the cheese and dust with paprika. Bake 10 minutes more until golden and bubbling. Serve at once.
I too wish I were more of a summer squash fan, especially when I used to be faced with so many grown by my mother in law! This sounds a great way to enjoy squash, I love a good summer dish!
Breadcrumbs and cheese make any vegetable taste good, Jayne 😉
I feel the same way about zucchini. This looks like a good way to go. I’ve also grilled it and for some reason, it’s my favorite grilled vegetable. Got a few pieces in the fridge that will be eaten tonight. Off to make dinner…
Dianne, maybe you can grill it with some of the “dates” you foraged – such a terrific post that made me laugh out loud.
I am a fan of summer squash, and this preparation looks wonderful. GREG
Simple and tasty – I’ll make this again, Greg – hope you try it.
Looks delicious! I make something slightly similar and it is my absolute favorite way to have summer squash. I pinned it to my zucchini board on pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/59672763789934103/
Looks great – thanks for your comment!
We get squash for the dog and spiralize it, but I never make much with it. I’ll have to give this one a try – looks like a good dish for the toaster oven!
Toaster oven would be great – keep your pretty kitchen cooler.
Looks delicious! Always looking for something tasty to do with squash. Love F&W recipes in general. Miss that magazine so much.
I like F&W too – why not renew your subscription?