Summer Squash and Butter Lettuce

This recipe takes my riff on the classic French peas cooked in lettuce as its inspiration. The squash stands in for the peas, and the trick is to not overcook the squash or it will turn mushy and bitter. The little bit of sugar helps with the flavors as well as helping get some color on the squash. This dish comes together quickly and is a boon when in a hurry or making something fancy on the other burners.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups mixed summer squashes, cut into ¼ inch dice, or use a small melon-baller to cut pea-sized balls out of the squash

½ head green butter lettuce, leaves separated and well cleaned

¼ small white or brown onion, or 1 small shallot, minced

2 tablespoons butter, or 1 tablespoon butter + 1 tablespoon mild flavored olive oil

½ teaspoon sugar

½ tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, chopped

½ teaspoon fresh marjoram or thyme, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons white wine

Water as needed

METHOD:

Split lettuce leaves down central rib, then stack and cut into ½ inch strips

Over medium heat, melt the butter (or butter-oil combo) in a 2-2½ quart chef’s pan or saucepan. When it stops foaming, add the onions/shallot and the marjoram or thyme, and stir in. Cook just until translucent, but do not allow to color.

Add the sugar and stir in. Season with salt and pepper, and add the wine and ¼ cup water and bring to a simmer. The water and wine should be around a ¼-inch deep in the pan bottom. Add more water if needed.

Add the squash and toss to coat well. Cover and cook gently at a low simmer, tossing frequently, until the squash is just turning from raw to not quite cooked. (The final texture should be tender but with a little resistance still to the center, like peas when done right.) This should take from 3-6 minutes. When the squash has reached this point, add the lettuce. Cook just to wilt. Remove vegetables with a slotted spoon to a bowl, leaving liquid behind.

Add the parsley to the pan liquid and reduce it so it thickens a little and emulsifies enough to cling to the vegetables. Taste for seasoning, add the vegetables back in and toss to coat, then return to serving bowl or dish out right away.

Chef’s Notes: You could use a little mint in this to good effect, adding when you add the parsley. You could also add a thoroughly minced small garlic clove with the allium, and/or a pinch of chili flakes if you desire. As it stands, the recipe is about the subtle flavors that summer squash and lettuce both possess. The sugar is there to play off the slightly bitter aspect both vegetables have.

Serves: 4

Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen