SOS*

Squash Stuffed Squash

prep time: 30 minutes ~ cooking time: 1 hour

• 9 Baby Squash, 3 finely diced, 6 halved and seeded
• Olive Oil
• 2 Shallots, finely minced
• 1 head Green Garlic, finely minced
• 1 Jalapeno, finely minced
• Salt & Pepper
• 6 Squash Blossoms, cleaned and sliced
• Juice of 1 Lemon
• Cayenne Pepper, to taste
• Mexican Oregano, to taste
• Cotija Cheese
• Oaxaqueno Cheese

Heat a glug of olive oil in a large, low sautée pan over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan and allow to sweat slowly until just becoming translucent.

Add the jalapeno and diced squash. Turn the heat up to medium, season with salt and pepper and allow to cook until the squash begin to soften.

Add the squash blossoms and allow to cook a few minutes more until the blossoms have melted into the mixture.

Add the lemon juice, cayenne pepper and Mexican oregano. Cook a few minutes until the mixture is nice and moist and a little bit sticky.

Add a handful or two of cotija cheese until the filling resembles a nice stuffing. Turn off the heat on the stove and turn the oven on to 375°F.

Line the halved and seeded squashes into an oven proof casserole dish. Using a teaspoon fill each squash generously with the filling. Cut the Oaxaqueno into 18 pieces that will each cover one squash. Place one piece on top of each filled squash. Cover the casserole in foil and place in the oven. Allow to bake 15-20 minutes. Pull the casserole out, carefully remove the foil and turn the oven up to broil. Place the casserole under the broiler and allow to cook a few minutes until the cheese is bubbling and browned.

To serve: Give each person a few squash, garnish with crema, homemade salsa, some beans and rice. Enjoy!

Squash Pancakes

prep time: 10 minutes ~ cooking time: 40 minutes

Cook’s Note: At first I hated this recipe. The pancakes never turned into pancakes, but, after just eating the leftovers for dinner I now love this dish. It is my humble opinion that this would be best made almost as a casserole the first time, and any subsequent leftovers reheated into a mush that the Boy so eloquently described as “delicious grownup baby food.”

• 2 lbs Squash, grated
• 8 Baby Carrots or 4 regular carrots, grated
• 3 cooked ears of Corn, kernels removed
• 1 Onion, grated
• Thyme, to taste
• 1/2 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
• 3/4 cup Cotija Cheese
• Salt & Pepper
• 3 Eggs, lightly beaten
• 1-4 tbsps Olive Oil or Butter, or a combination of both

Combine the grated ingredients in a bowl with the thyme, breadcrumbs and cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Put half the mixture into a tupperware container and place in the fridge for a work night’s dinner of Squash Pasta.

Add the 3 eggs and mix. If the mixture is too loose add more breadcrumbs or cheese. Heat the fat in a skillet and when hot drop the pancake mixture into the pan. Allow to cook 5-8 minutes then, try to flip them without falling apart (this is nearly impossible, so just grin and bear it). Allow the pancakes to cook a further 5-8 minutes. When golden brown and crispy (maybe) remove to a plate and cook the rest of the pancakes. These can be served hot or at room temperature.

To serve: Portion out the pancakes and top each one with one or two lightly fried eggs. Enjoy!

Squash Pasta

prep time: virtually none ~ cooking time: 10 minutes

• 1/2 recipe Squash Pancake mixture, sans eggs
• 1/2 lb Deboles Jerusalem Artichoke Linguini

Cook the linguini according to package directions to a nice al dente texture. Drain, do not rinse. Return the pasta to the pot and toss with the Squash Pancake mixture. To serve: Portion out the pasta, squirt with a little fresh lemon and season with lots of freshly ground pepper. Enjoy!