Summer Squash Gratin Recipe 435

SUMMER SQUASH GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Place buttery crackers and cornmeal in a plastic resealable bag; seal and pound into fine crumbs.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallot; cook and stir until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add yellow squash and zucchini. Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cook until softened, about 10 minutes.
• Stir milk and butter into the skillet. Increase heat to medium-high; cook until butter is melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in crumb mixture and Mexican cheese blend. Remove from heat.
• Spread yellow squash mixture evenly in an 8-inch square baking pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until bubbly, about 15 minutes. Increase heat to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) and continue baking until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

BAKED SQUASH GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Lightly butter an 8-inch baking dish and set aside. Fill a large pot with enough water to come 2 inches up the sides of the pot. Set a steamer rack in the pot, cover, and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Add the squash and steam over medium heat until the squash is very tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer the squash to a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Season the squash to taste with salt and pepper.
• Spoon half of the squash evenly over the prepared baking dish. Dollop half of the pesto all over the squash in the dish. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the squash. Repeat layering with the remaining squash, pesto, and cheese. Using a skewer, swirl the pesto decoratively into the squash. Dot the top with butter and bake until the gratin is heated through and golden brown around the edges, about 40 minutes.

YELLOW SQUASH AND ZUCCHINI GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat; add zucchini, yellow squash and shallots. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4-6 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute more., Add the cream; cook until thickened, 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in 1/2 cup bread crumbs and 1/4 cup cheese. Spoon mixture into a greased 11x7-in. or 2-qt. baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining bread crumbs and cheese. Bake until golden brown, 8-10 minutes.

ZUCCHINI AND YELLOW SQUASH GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat; add zucchini, yellow squash, shallots, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until zucchini and squash are crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes.
• Add cream, and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat; stir in 1/2 cup panko and 1/4 cup Parmesan.
• Spoon mixture into a shallow 2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining panko and Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Bake until top is golden, 8 to 10 minutes.

SUMMER SQUASH GRATIN

Steps:

• Make the sautéed summer squash, season it well and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Oil a 2-quart baking dish with olive oil. In a medium bowl, beat together the eggs, salt, pepper, and milk. Stir in the rice, thyme, the sautéed squash and the cheeses. Scrape into the baking dish.
• Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until nicely browned on the top and edges. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for at least 10 minutes before serving, or allow to cool. The gratin is good hot, warm, or room temperature.

PROVENCAL SUMMER SQUASH AND POTATO GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly mist a shallow 2-quart baking or gratin dish with cooking spray.
• Thinly slice the squash, zucchini, potato, and onion 1/4-inch thick with a mandolin or by hand. Shingle the vegetables in the prepared baking dish in one layer. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the rosemary leaves and drizzle with olive oil. Cover with foil and bake until the potatoes are tender, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Remove the foil; sprinkle with the cheese. Bake until the cheese is browned and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 45 minutes more. Let stand at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

SUMMER SQUASH AU GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease/spray a casserole dish and set aside.
• In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add the squash, celery and oniona and saute in the butter for about 2-3 minutes, just until they are softened and barely tender. Do not overcook.
• Remove from heat.
• Stir in the sour cream, cheddar cheese, pepper and (if needed salt) and bacon.
• Mix well and place in the casserole dish. Sprinkle Parmesan over the top and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until lightly brown on top.

SAVORY SQUASH GRATIN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place garlic in an ovenproof ramekin, and drizzle with olive oil. Roast until light brown and very soft, about 20 minutes. Let stand until cool enough to handle; peel garlic and cut into slivers; set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees.
• Peel squash, halve lengthwise, and seed. Cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices; set aside.
• Place kale in a steamer basket over boiling water, cover, and steam until bright green and wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and chop roughly. Squeeze out as much water as possible; set kale aside.
• Butter a 2 1/2-quart gratin dish. Distribute half the sliced squash in the dish, reserving the prettiest slices for the top layer. In a small bowl, combine nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Distribute half the sliced garlic over squash, and sprinkle with one-third of seasoning mixture and 1 teaspoon thyme.
• Arrange kale over squash, and sprinkle with one-third of the seasoning. Arrange remaining squash over kale, and sprinkle with remaining seasoning and 1 teaspoon thyme. Distribute remaining garlic over squash, tucking it between slices.
• Pour cream over assembled gratin, and cover with a piece of parchment. Bake until squash is soft when pierced with the tip of a knife, 40 to 45 minutes; halfway through the baking time, remove parchment, press down on squash with a spatula to compress and distribute the liquid; cover and continue baking. Meanwhile, combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• After 35 to 45 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees and sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over squash; return to oven, and continue to bake, uncovered, until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. Garnish with remaining thyme.
• To reheat: Do not add final layer of breadcrumb mixture. Remove from the refrigerator, and let come to room temperature, 15 to 20 minutes. Cover with parchment paper, and reheat in a 400-degree oven for 20 minutes. Top with breadcrumb mixture, and bake until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Garnish with thyme.

SUMMER SQUASH GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400F degrees and place a rack in the middle. Rub a 9x9 gratin pan (or equivalent baking dish) with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle with lemon zest, and set aside.
• Place the zucchini slices into a colander placed over a sink, toss with the sea salt and set aside for 10-15 minutes (to drain a bit) and go on to prepare the oregano sauce and bread crumbs.
• Make the sauce by pureeing the oregano, parsley, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, red pepper flakes, and olive oil in a food processor or using a hand blender. Set aside.
• Make the breadcrumbs by melting the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook for a few minutes until the butter is wonderfully fragrant, and has turned brown. Wait two minutes, then stir the breadcrumbs into the browned butter.
• Transfer the squash to a large mixing bowl. Add the potatoes and two-thirds of the oregano sauce. Toss until everything is well coated. Add the cheese and half of the bread crumbs and toss again. Taste one of the zucchini pieces and add more seasoning (salt or red pepper) if needed.
• Transfer the squash to the lemon-zested pan, top with the remaining crumbs, and bake for somewhere between 40 and 50 minutes - it will really depend on how thinly you sliced the squash and potatoes - and how much moisture was still in them. You don't want the zucchini to go to mush, but you need to be sure the potatoes are fully baked. If the breadcrumbs start to get a little dark, take a fork and rake them just a bit, that will uncover some of the blonder bits. Remove from oven, and drizzle with the remaining oregano sauce.

SUMMER SQUASH GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to broil with rack 6 inches from heat source. Mince 2 of the garlic cloves, and set aside. Grate remaining garlic clove; set aside separately.
• Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium. Add onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in squash, zucchini, thyme, and reserved minced garlic. Increase heat to medium-high. Cover and cook until mixture starts to soften, about 6 minutes, stirring once halfway through cook time. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is tender, about 6 minutes. Stir in pepper and ¾ teaspoon of the salt. Remove from heat.
• Microwave remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a small microwavable bowl on HIGH until melted, about 30 seconds. Add panko, cheese, reserved grated garlic, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt; stir together until combined. Sprinkle evenly over squash mixture. Broil in preheated oven until topping is browned and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes.