Zucchini
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Oven-Fried Zucchini Spears
Double Chocolate (or Carob) Zucchini Cake
Zucchini and Tomato Sauté
Apple Zucchini Bread
Those BIIIGGG Zucchini!
See also:
Zucchini Carrot Casserole on the Carrot page
Stuffed Peppers on the Bell Peppers page
Salad of Grilled Summer and Zucchini Squash with Warm Olive and Tomato Vinaigrette on the Summer Squash page

Zucchini squash is the favored jewel of the summer squashes. Its flavor is light and sweet with flesh as delicate as a flower and texture that makes it almost melt in the mouth. Zucchini's many varieties offer the cook countless opportunities to prepare a varied menu of colorful summer dishes. 

Summer squashes, as well a winter squashes, are native to the Americas and belong to the family of curcurbita. Archaeologists have traced their origins to Mexico, dating back from 7,000 to 5,500 BCE, when they were an integral part of the ancient diet of maize, beans, and squashes. That pre-Columbian food trio is still the mainstay of the Mexican cuisine and is known today as the "three sisters." Many explorers who came to the Americas brought back what they considered strange foods. The zucchini eventually found its way to Italy where it was named zucchino. Many names have been given to this squash. The French call it courgette, a name that has been adopted by the English. The English also refer to a variety that is slightly larger and plumper as marrow. The colonists of New England adopted the name squash, a word derived from several Native American words for the vegetable which meant "something eaten raw." George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were squash enthusiasts who even enjoyed growing them. 

Zucchinis are considered the tender, sweet, immature fruit of the curcurbita pepo which is eaten in its entirety. If left on the vine or bush longer, the fruit becomes enormous, the seeds larger, tougher, and sometimes inedible, and the flavor less sweet. With their high water content (more than 95 percent), zucchini squashes are very low in calories. There are only 13 calories in a half-cup of raw zucchini, with a slight increase to 18 calories in the same quantity cooked. Nutritionally, zucchinis offer valuable antioxidants. Zucchini is a good source of Vitamins A and C, Potassium, and is low in calories making it an excellent choice for dieters.

Adapted from hungrymonster.com

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Oven-Fried Zucchini Spears

2 medium sized zucchini or yellow summer squash
3 tablespoons dried bread crumbs
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried summer savory
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons corn oil
Prepared marinara sauce, optional 

Preheat oven to 475°F. Lightly oil a baking sheet. Wash zucchini and pat dry. Do not peel. Cut into eighths lengthwise, then halves crosswise. On a sheet of wax paper, toss bread crumbs, cheese, herbs, garlic powder, and pepper. Whisk oil and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Moisten zucchini spears in this mixture, then roll them in crumb mixture, covering all sides. Arrange on baking sheet. Bake 7 minutes, or until the spears are lightly browned. Turn spears over; bake 3 minutes more. Serve immediately with hot marinara sauce, if desired. Makes four servings. 

From Zephyr Community Farm

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Double Chocolate (or Carob) Zucchini Cake

3/4 cup oil
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini
1/2 cup sour milk or buttermilk
3 tablespoons cocoa or carob powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
2 1/2 cups flour
Small bag of chocolate or carob chips

Heat oven to 350°; grease a 9" x 13" baking pan.  Mix all ingredients together and bake 30-35 minutes.  Makes 16 servings.

From Scotch Hill Farm.

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Zucchini and Tomato Sauté

5 slices bacon, chopped, or 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
1 large tomato, peeled, seeded, and chopped
Pinch of sugar
Salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (optional)

Sauté the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until it is half-cooked or substitute the olive oil and heat.  Then add the onion and zucchini and cook together, covered, until the zucchini is done, about 2 to 3 minutes.  Add the tomato along with the remaining ingredients; toss just to mix  Cover, and allow to stand for 2 minutes.  You don't want the tomato to cook; it should just be heated through.  Serve immediately.  Makes 4 servings.

From Cooking from Quilt Country by Marcia Adams.

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Apple Zucchini Bread

4 cups flour 
1 Tablespoon baking soda 
1/4 teaspoon baking powder 
1 1/2 teaspoon salt 
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 
5 eggs 
2 cups sugar 
1 cup brown sugar 
1 1/2 cups oil 
1 Tablespoon vanilla 
2 cups shredded zucchini 
1 cup shredded apples 
1 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional) 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Combine first 6 ingredients and set aside. 
Combine eggs, oil, sugars and vanilla in a large bowl.  Beat until well blended.  Stir in zucchini, apples and nuts.  Add to dry ingredients, stir until moistened. 

Put into 2 greased and floured loaf pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes. 

Thanks to Ali Armbrust for this recipe!!!

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Those BIIIGGG Zucchini!

As anyone who’s ever grown zucchini knows, they go from little to BIG in a very short time. What to do with those big zucchini? The good news is, mild flavored zucchini makes the perfect backdrop for all sorts of flavors. Cut in half and hollowed out, they’re a great container for your favorite fillings.

Try this: Cut zucchini in half lengthwise. Scoop out the center, leaving a 1/4 inch shell; reserve and chop the pulp. Sauté a chopped onion in olive oil until soft. Add the chopped zucchini pulp and sauté briefly until tender. Now mix the rest of your filling ingredients. Stuff the zucchini with the filling and bake in at 350°F oven for 25 minutes or until the shell is tender and the filling is hot. 

Some filling ideas:

Thanks to GEI volunteer Bill Dawe for this recipe!