Summer Squash with Basil, Parmesan, and Toasted Buckwheat by Alison Roman

It may surprise you that this entire plate of squash was eaten by four people in one sitting. It may surprise you that I’ve been craving this dish ever since I made it. It may also surprise you that lemon juice and a dash of fish sauce (yes, fish sauce) are all that’s needed to make seemingly flavorless summer squash taste irresistibly fresh. A sprinkling of parmesan, chives, basil, and toasted pistachios don’t hurt either. 

And that’s exactly what this dish involves – thinly sliced squash (about two large ones) tossed in lemon juice and a teaspoon of fish sauce, arranged with style (or not) on a large serving platter, topped with parmesan, finely chopped chives, basil, and toasted pistachios. I chose to sub the buckwheat groats (an Alison classic) because I already had toasted and chopped pistachios on hand. If you’re considering skipping the fish sauce, don’t. It adds a very subtle complexity that lemon juice alone won’t provide. No one asked, “is there fish sauce in this?” But just, “how did you make the squash taste so good?”

A future summer go-to if I ever had one.  

130 recipes cooked, 95 to go.

Baked Summer Squash with Cream and Parmesan Bread Crumbs by Alison Roman

Wait... Annie. I thought you were cow’s dairy free? Why did you make this dish with heavy cream and parmesan cheese? 

Thanks for that thoughtful question. I made it and ate it because there are some things worth breaking the rules for. And for me, that list includes creamy baked squash with sourdough, parmesan bread crumbs. A girl’s gotta have standards. This is one of mine. 

First, I prepared the sourdough breadcrumbs. I had the stale ends to an old loaf I’d made a few weeks prior and pulsed them in a food processor until they were not too small, but not too big. (It’s all about precision for me.) Then I combined the crumbs with salt, pepper, aleppo pepper, freshly grated garlic, and a half cup of parmesan cheese. I set this aside. 

The recipe calls for about a pound of summer squash, which for me came down to 2 large-ish zucchinis. The quartered them and laid them in a 2-qt. dish. I poured a cup of heavy cream, some dried oregano (sorry, I didn’t have the bandwidth to buy fresh), and some olive oil. Then I sprinkled the bread crumbs over the top of the zucchini. As the dish bakes, the creamy gets bubbly, the parmesan melts, and the sourdough bread crumbs turn a golden brown. It was worth every bite. 

While squash is especially in season during the summer, it’s also around in the fall. I think this would be a lovely side dish on a night when the weather starts to chill and the leaves start to turn. A marriage of seasons in a baking dish. Or a sign of transition between them. (And a delicious sign at that!)

87 recipes cooked, 138 to go.