Zucchini 'Gratin'
This was my response to a post regarding yellow squash an entry or two back. However, it's so good and flavorful it deserves its' own post. For gardeners desperately looking for ways to use up abundant produce, this one is especially useful since it calls for zucchini/yellow squash, tomatoes, AS WELL as basil. The one drawback -- it does requires baking, and at a high temperature no less. So I save it for those occasional summer days when it's not so devilishly hot. I've never tried it in a crockpot, but that might be an alternative. Or heck, even a solar oven -- put that intense summer sun to use!
Zucchini 'Gratin'
2 large-ish zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
1 medium-ish yellow squash, cut as above (or sub with more zucchini if necessary)
3 small tomatoes, cut into wedges (I sub w/ canned stewed tomatoes if mine haven't started producing yet)
1 garlic clove, crushed
3 T olive oil
2 T jalapeno hot sauce
1 T fresh chopped basil, or 1 tsp dried basil leaves (although I STRONGLY recommend fresh basil in this whenever possible)
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup soy parmesan (eh, I regularly substitute here with nutri yeast flakes)
Preheat oven to 425 F. In a 2 quart casserole, toss squashes, tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, jalapeno sauce, basil and salt until well mixed. Sprinkle with parmesan (or if using nutri yeast flakes, mixing it in with the previous step). Bake in preheated oven 30 minutes until the vegetables are tender (or even longer -- to get the veggies sort of 'carmelized'). Serve warm or cold.
EDIT: Forgot to mention that I sometimes add cubed tofu (tossed with a little soy sauce) to this, mixing it in with the other ingredients -- to get that 'complete meal' thing going... (note also, that it's good tossed with hot, cooked pasta or rice....).
Zucchini 'Gratin'
2 large-ish zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
1 medium-ish yellow squash, cut as above (or sub with more zucchini if necessary)
3 small tomatoes, cut into wedges (I sub w/ canned stewed tomatoes if mine haven't started producing yet)
1 garlic clove, crushed
3 T olive oil
2 T jalapeno hot sauce
1 T fresh chopped basil, or 1 tsp dried basil leaves (although I STRONGLY recommend fresh basil in this whenever possible)
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup soy parmesan (eh, I regularly substitute here with nutri yeast flakes)
Preheat oven to 425 F. In a 2 quart casserole, toss squashes, tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, jalapeno sauce, basil and salt until well mixed. Sprinkle with parmesan (or if using nutri yeast flakes, mixing it in with the previous step). Bake in preheated oven 30 minutes until the vegetables are tender (or even longer -- to get the veggies sort of 'carmelized'). Serve warm or cold.
EDIT: Forgot to mention that I sometimes add cubed tofu (tossed with a little soy sauce) to this, mixing it in with the other ingredients -- to get that 'complete meal' thing going... (note also, that it's good tossed with hot, cooked pasta or rice....).