This is one of those dishes that just happened “on the fly”. I was using the oven for potatoes already, so I figured I might as well cram a vegetable in. I had basil in a jar on the counter, and lots of zucchini someone had given me. The inspiration for this came from a dish called Hasselback potatoes, and a variation I used to do using bay leaves. A simple dish with plenty of flavor, it has a couple of great variations that are easy to execute, and it cooks up pretty quickly.
INGREDIENTS:
1½ pounds medium-sized summer squash (Enough for 2 pieces per person, roughly) A handful of basil leaves Olive oil as needed Salt and pepper to taste ¼ cup or more grated Parmesan cheeseSpecial Equipment:
A pair of disposable chopsticks (While not absolutely necessary, these make executing this recipe much easier.) or something similar
METHOD:
Heat the oven to 450°F.
Lightly oil a roasting pan (Make sure it is a non-reactive one, or line it with foil or parchment paper) that will hold all the squash in a single layer without crowding. If the squash are close together, they will just turn mushy.
Use a peeler or knife and shave just enough from the length, or bottom, of each squash so it will sit flat in the roasting pen with out rolling.
Take a squash, and place a chopstick on either side of it right next to it. (The idea is so when you slice down into the squash, the chopsticks will prevent you from slicing all the way through it.) Use a thin bladed sharp knife to make angled cuts that go most of the way through. Make the slices ¼ inch, or less, apart.
Over a bowl, gently fan the squash open just a little and drizzle with olive oil, trying to get some oil into the cuts. Lightly coat the squash with oil and toss into the bowl. Do this with all the squash.
Slip basil leaves into some of the cuts, 4-6 leaves per squash.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, and place in the roasting dish. Cover the dish tightly with foil, and bake for 10 minutes or until the squash is starting to get tender.
Remove the foil and move the dish to the upper part of the oven so the squash starts to caramelize. After 5-10 minutes, if the squash looks to be done soon, (It should be crisp-tender. Not raw, but not cooked until completely soft, either!) Sprinkle with the cheese and cook to melt until golden and bubbling.
Serve hot.
Chef’s Notes:
Depending on the size of the squash, the cooking time may vary. This recipe was made with squash that measured 7”x1½”.
If you wish, you could toss a cup of diced tomatoes in the pan with the squash. After the squash is done, remove the squash to a serving dish and stir the tomatoes around to mix with any stray cheese. Throw back into the oven for 5 minutes, then remove and stir to beat up a little and top squash with the tomatoes. Or, just toss in the tomatoes with the squash and cook as directed, but when the cheese is ready to go in, toss in a cup of oiled and seasoned breadcrumbs with the cheese. Cook long enough to brown and serve a lazy chefs version of stuffed zucchini boats.
Serves: 4
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
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