Summer Squash and Cucumbers

The transition to summer crops is now in full swing with the start of the cucurbit season. If Mother Nature and the nasty insects which cause diseases and prematurely kill the plants are kind to us, we will receive at least a few pounds of each for the next month or two.

Maybe that causes you to say "Uh oh! How will we manage to eat all of that!?" I actually find these 2 crops pretty easy to keep up with. Please send me the ways you enjoy these 2 veggies at lindadansbury@comcast.net and use Anchor Run in the subject line. Below are a few of my ideas on enjoying these delicious veggies.

Cucumbers - I love to just cut them up and eat them along with lunches or as a snack while preparing dinner. I also slice them into mixed green salads, or make cucumber salads. I love the way my grandmother used to make them: sliced very thin, using a mandolin, add thinly sliced scallions and fresh chopped parsley. Make a simple vinaigrette of pepper and a little salt, celery salt, cider vinegar or red wine vinegar and a neutral oil, such as canola. Or make it Asian style, slicing thin again, adding sliced scallions and freshly chopped cilantro. The dressing consists of rice wine vinegar, a neutral oil, a bit of fish sauce, sugar, sesame oil and soy sauce and your favorite pepper. Both versions are delicious! Or...make pickles! If you are not into fermenting or true canning, then try the Narrow Bridge Farm Refrigerator Pickle recipe on this site. As the harvest continues, you will see different shapes and colors of cucs in the pick up room - try them all - there are subtle differences and all are enjoyable.

Summer Squash - the first thing about this crop is to embrace all the colors and shapes there are. Many if not most of the recipes found will say "zucchini" which really translates into the long green version of the crop. For this site, any recipe that has been added over the years has "Summer Squash" in its title. Recipes can be made using any of the squash you choose. I like the assorted colors in a finished platter or dish. One of the easiest and my favorite method of cooking is to grill them. If they are large, cut or slice them. Brush with a bit of olive oil. Place on grill - the small ones may need to go in a grill basket to prevent losing them between the grates. Keep a close eye on them and turn when the one side starts to brown. Depending on the grill it may only take 2-3 minutes. When they are lightly browned on all sides and just tender, remove from grill to a platter. From there, you can drizzle with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and a grated hard cheese, and top with chopped herb or herbs of your choice - all or none of the add-ons are fine, The truth is that the grilled squash is delicious plain. The squash can be it's own dish, or a part of a platter of an assortment of other grilled veggies, cheeses, cured meats, etc. Or mixed into a hot or cold pasta dish. The options are endless!