I generally don’t buy in to National Fill-in-the-Blank Days, but there is one that gets me every year: National Sneak Some Zucchini onto Your Neighbor’s Porch Day, which is August 8th.
Yes, it’s a real thing, according to the people who keep track of these things. It always makes me chuckle imagining all the gardeners with an overabundance of the vegetable unloading piles of it by their neighbors’ doors. Whether you are one of those gardeners, one of the lucky neighbors, or you just want to take advantage of the abundance of local summer squash at the market, these recipes will help you make the most of it. Enjoy!
Photo by Stacy Zarin Goldberg for The Washington Post
Here, zucchini gets the Hasselback treatment: the vegetable is sliced about three-quarters of the way through, accordion-like, before cooking. As the zucchini softens in the oven, the slices splay open a bit, practically begging for a sprinkle of garlic, salt, pepper and a sliver or two of Parmesan cheese to be tucked in between. With a sprinkle of grated cheese on top and a few minutes under the broiler, the vegetable winds up juicy and firm-tender, browned on top, and with the luscious savoriness of melted cheese in every bite for an irresistibly fun and photo-worthy side dish.
Photo by Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post
For this recipe, a bounty of fresh cooked summer squash is pureed until creamy with rich, velvety avocado and seasoned with lemon and basil for a chilled soup that is as light and refreshing as it is fulfilling. You can use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, to make this zucchini avocado soup vegan.
Photo by Stacy Zarin Goldberg for The Washington Post
These tender, fragrant zucchini oat muffins are sweetened primarily with dates, which, besides sweetness, provide deep flavor and valuable nutrients. Made with whole grains and healthful oil, the muffins have a wholesome sensibility and hearty texture that steps away from the dessert realm into the daily sustenance category, in a good way. They not only taste good, they are a nourishing and energizing way to start your day or fuel your afternoon.
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