Recipe by Stacy Dong

www.zainelicious.blogspot.com
 

Summer squashes are sweet and plum and easy to cook with.

Here we have zucchini, butternut squash & pattypan/yellow squash.

I decided to make preparing a meal easier by making two dishes out of the summer squashes.

Yield: 4-6 servings
For the base of both dishes:

Ingredients:
1 medium size organic zucchini
1 medium size organic pattypan/yellow squash
1/2 medium size organic butternut squash
1/2 cup of organic broccoli/cauliflower florets (optional)
3-4 cups of water

Method:
Cut and cook all the vegetables in a pot with plenty of water to yield some vegetable broth.

The butternut squash is similar to a pumpkin, hence, you would need to cut it into small chunks first and only then proceed to cut off the skin. The zucchini and the pattypan squash only need a quick rinse.

Cut the squashes into 1/8" cubes so that they have similar cooking time, which is about 10-15 minutes*.

*The vegetables should only be 'al dente' and need not be soft & tender as you will be cooking them again when you add other ingredients to the dish.

Here are two different versions of it with the prepared base:

Summer Squash Version 1: Summer squash & Lentil Stew
 

Yields: 2-4 servings

Ingredients:
1/2 portion of the summer squash base
1/2 cup of organic red lentils
1/2 -1 cup of water (only when needed)

Method:
Spread out the 1/2 cup of lentils on a plate to check for any foreign particles. Place lentils in a mesh colander and rinse under cool running water. Place lentil and base in a pot and bring to boil. Let simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the lentils are fully cooked and have fully absorbed the water. Add water if needed.

I am using red lentils for this dish because of its short cooking time. If brown lentils are used, I would cook off with the lentils first and only add the vegetables when the lentils are almost done.

Summer Squash Version 2: Summer squash Risini

Yields: 2-4 servings

Ingredients:
1/2 portion of the summer squash base
1/2 cup of organic risini
1-2 tbsp of organic hard cheese (optional)
1/2-1 cup of water (if needed)

Method:
Combine the base and the risini in a pot and bring to boil. Let simmer for 10-15 minutes until the risini is cooked and when it has absorbed all the water. Stir occasionally. Add water if necessary. Lastly, sprinkle the cheese and mix well.