Lemon Thyme Summer Squash Recipes

SLOW-COOKED SUMMER SQUASH WITH LEMON AND THYME

Steps:

• Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350°F. Toss summer squash, garlic, lemon zest, thyme, oil, and salt in a shallow 2-qt. baking dish to combine.
• Turn garlic cut side down, then roast vegetables, tossing 2 or 3 times, until golden brown, very tender, and edges and cut sides are crisp, 1 hour and 40 minutes-1 hour and 50 minutes. Let cool slightly, then add lemon juice and toss to coat.

SUMMER SQUASH LEMON THYME SOUP

Steps:

• In a 4-quart Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
• Add the onions, leek and garlic and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes or until onions are soft.
• Add the squash and lemon thyme and cook, stirring for 5 minutes.
• Increase to medium high heat; add the chicken broth and salt.
• Cook, partially covered, at a low boil for 20 minutes or until the squash is soft.
• Discard the thyme.
• Puree the soup in batches in a covered blender, then return to the Dutch oven and heat through.
• Add the lemon juice and hot pepper sauce to taste.
• Garnish the soup with shaved Parmesan, pine nuts, thyme sprigs and lemon zest.
• Serve hot.

SAUTEED SUMMER SQUASH WITH BASIL

Steps:

• Cut the squash in thick slices. Heat the oil in a large skillet and saute the squash over high heat so that it is golden brown on both sides, but not overcooked. It should still be slightly crunchy. Remove with a slotted spoon as the pieces are cooked and place them in a serving bowl.
• Add the garlic to skillet, cook until golden. Add with oil left in pan to the squash. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with basil and toss. Serve hot or at room temperature.

GRILLED PIZZA WITH YELLOW SQUASH, MOZZARELLA, AND LEMON THYME

Steps:

• In a small bowl stir together garlic and oil and let stand 15 minutes.
• With a mandoline or other manual slicer, slice squash crosswise into 1/16-inch thick rounds, transferring to plate.
• Prepare grill: Open vents in lid and bottom of kettle grill and put 25 briquets on 2 opposite sides of bottom, leaving middle clear. Oil rack and position with wider openings over briquets. Light briquets. (They will be ready for cooking as soon as they turn grayish-white, 20 to 30 minutes.)
• Remove plastic wrap from 2 pieces of rolled-out-pizza dough (if grill is not large, work with 1 piece at a time, keeping remaining piece chilled) and lightly brush dough with some garlic oil. Trying not to stretch dough, carefully transfer it, oiled side down, with your hands to rack of grill. (If it's a very hot day, the dough may get too soft to transfer easily; if so, pop it into the freezer until firm again, about 15 minutes.) Lightly brush top with some garlic oil. When grilling pizzas, rotate them if 1 side of grill is hotter than the other. Grill crusts, covered, until undersides are golden brown on bottom, about 4 minutes. Flip crusts over with 2 metal spatulas and top each crust with half of cheeses, squash, and thyme. Lightly brush pizzas with some garlic oil and grill, covered, about 5 minutes, or until undersides are golden brown and cheeses are melted.
• Garnish pizzas with thyme sprigs and cut into wedges.
• In a large bowl stir together 1/3 cup water, yeast, and sugar and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/3 cup water, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 3/4 cups flour, cornmeal, and salt and blend until mixture forms a dough. Knead dough on a floured surface, incorporating as much of remaining 1/4 cup flour as necessary to prevent dough from sticking, until smooth and elastic, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Alternatively, dough may be made in a food processor. Proof yeast as described above. In food processor process yeast mixture with 1 3/4 cups flour, cornmeal, and salt until mixture forms a ball, adding more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, it too dry or more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, if too wet, and knead dough by processing 15 seconds more.
• Put dough, prepared by either method, in an oiled deep bowl and turn to coat with oil. Let dough rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk, and punch down. Form dough into 4 balls. Makes enough dough for four 10-inch thin-crust pizzas.
• Lightly brush a baking sheet with olive oil.
• On a lightly floured surface roll out 1 ball of dough 1/8 inch thick (about 10 inches in diameter). Brushing off excess flour, transfer dough with your hands to baking sheet and cover surface completely with plastic wrap. Repeat procedure with remaining dough balls and plastic wrap in same manner, stacking rolled-out pieces on top of one another on baking sheet. Wrap baking sheet with more plastic wrap to ensure that dough is completely covered. (Chill dough until firm, about 1 hour, and up to 4 hours.)

LEMON THYME GOAT CHEESE TART WITH SUMMER SQUASH

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Blind bake crust in 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom until golden brown. Set aside.
• Heat broiler and move rack 4 inches from heat . Toss squash slices with garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Arrange slices in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and broil until just golden, about 7 minutes. You may need to turn the tray once for even cooking. Remove from oven and turn oven to 400 degrees F; return rack to center.
• In a mixing bowl cream together the goat cheese, lemon zest, thyme and heavy cream until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Spread cheese mixture into bottom of the tart shell in an even layer and arrange squash slices on top in concentric circles.
• Bake until heated through, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly, then remove tart from pan base onto a serving platter. Garnish with thyme. Serve hot or at room temperature.