Sautéed Summer Squash

Paleo Sautéed Summer Squash Ribbons

Serves 4

WHY THIS Sautéed Summer Squash RECIPE WORKS

Summer squash and zucchini make great side dishes; they cook quickly and have creamy, delicately flavored flesh that pairs perfectly with most proteins. But summer squash and zucchini contain a lot of excess moisture that can inhibit browning and result in a mushy, unpleasant texture. To avoid this, many recipes call for salting and draining or shredding and wringing the squash to remove moisture, but these steps can be time-consuming for what should be a simple side dish. We found that we could avoid the extra work by starting with very thinly sliced squash. We used a peeler to make evenly thin “ribbons,” discarding the waterlogged seeds. The ultrathin ribbons browned and cooked so quickly that they didn’t have time to break down and release their liquid. The delicate cooked squash needed little embellishment; a quick, tangy vinaigrette of extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, and lemon and a sprinkle of fresh parsley rounded out the flavors. We like a mix of summer squash and zucchini, but you can use just one or the other. The thickness of the squash ribbons may vary depending on the peeler used; we developed this recipe with our winning Kuhn Rikon Original Swiss peeler, which produces ribbons that are 1/32 inch thick. Steeping the minced garlic in lemon juice mellows the garlic’s bite; do not skip this step.

INGREDIENTS

1 small garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon juice

4 (6- to 8-ounce) yellow squash or zucchini, trimmed

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon

extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

To avoid overcooking the squash, start checking for doneness at the lower end of the cooking time.

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine garlic and lemon juice in large bowl and set aside for at least 10 minutes. Using vegetable peeler, shave each squash lengthwise into ribbons: Shave off 3 ribbons from 1 side, then turn squash 90 degrees and shave off 3 more ribbons. Continue to turn and shave ribbons until you reach seeds; discard core.
Whisk 2 tablespoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and lemon zest into garlic/lemon juice mixture.
Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add squash and cook, tossing occasionally with tongs, until squash has softened and is translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer squash to bowl with dressing, add parsley, and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to serving platter and serve immediately.