Every summer I am amazed at the number of people (all Americans) who do not know, or do not accept, that a zucchini is simply a summer squash.
Recipes (American) usually say to use a zucchini or ‘you can substitute summer squash’.
In their defense it wasn’t until I moved to this side of the pond and started planting squashes, that I realized how many different varieties there are.
I also realize that to someone with a very sophisticated summer squash palate, there will be discernable taste differences between a green striped squash and a yellow crookneck squash.
They all taste the same to me. Actually, they are so bland that by the time I tart them up to have flavor they definitely all taste the same.
So…. to the Italians they are zucchini; to the French and the British they are courgette; to the Spanish they are calabacín; and to me they are summer squash, regardless of shape or color.
This year I planted yellow, white, gold, and green striped squashes.
They are all good.
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PrintStuffed Summer Squash
A squash about 7″ (17cm) long is just the right size for a vegetable side dish for the 2 of us. This particular variety had a bowl-shaped seed cavity that was easy to stuff.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Vegetables
Ingredients
- 1 medium summer squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed
- 6 – 10 fresh basil leaves
- 6 cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp celery salt
- 2 tsp Dijon-style mustard
- 4 tbs shredded cheese
Instructions
- With a small spoon, hollow out each half.
- Spread 1 tsp mustard in each half.
- Lay basil leaves on mustard.
- Add cherry tomato quarters, dividing evenly.
- Sprinkle tomatoes with paprika and salt.
- Top with shredded cheese.
- Cover, bake at 400F (200C) for 20 minutes.
- Uncover and bake 5 – 10 minutes longer, until cheese is browned.
Notes
Substitute dried basil for the fresh and use any mustard you have on hand.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 recipe
- Calories: 85
- Sugar: 3.2 g
- Sodium: 231.5 mg
- Fat: 4.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5.1 g
- Fiber: 1.7 g
- Protein: 5.7 g
- Cholesterol: 14.9 mg
Keywords: summer squash, zucchini, stuffed zucchini
I’m going to let a few of these get a bit bigger and stuff them with beef, onions, and tomatoes for a main course.
Now that I think about it – I don’t even know the answer to this. I think, in the U.S., that all zucchini are green…. But are green striped squash also called zucchini or only the solid green ones?
Inquiring minds want to know.
On that note…..
I shall leave you with a sunset. They have been spectacular lately.
Bon week-end!
Spectacular sunset! I’m envious.
Zucchini here are green, generally slimy no matter how they’re prepared, and pretty tasteless though I can taste other squash and don’t care for them at all. Zucchini for me is only edible one way and that’s in Zucchini bread. That’s my personal preference on squash though. Maybe it’s a bit like my inability to eat cilantro. It tastes like soap, no matter how it’s prepared and if I walk into a room where it’s being heated in something, I can immediately taste that soapy taste in my mouth. Might be across the room or in the back kitchen of a restaurant, but I can taste it.
I never ate it or liked it until we lived in Andorra and my neighbor kept giving it to me. I discovered with enough pepper, onion, tomato, and spices it was pretty good. I do like the soup which I have for lunch all winter (that and tomato). But I add pepper, celery, onion, etc. to the soup.
As to the bread – my favorite is Lemon Zucchini bread but the chocolate one is pretty good too lol
Zucchini to Australians and then when left to grow huge they are called a marrow
I call those big ones a mistake – and compost. I try to always pick them small but, sometimes, they hide and become monsters.
The Brits call the marrow, too
I tried to grow yellow and stripy zucchini a couple of years ago. All I got were flowers galore, and one tiny pencil-sized striped squash that refused to ripen. I have given up on growing zucchini and have switched to putting Swiss Chard and Collard greens in that spot. (They are doing brilliantly.)
According to grow-it-organically[dot]com/zucchini-varieties.html, there are green with white stripes zucchini that are called “bush baby”.
What a beautiful sunset!
We often get beautiful sunsets here…. and we very often remember to admire them.
Sigh. I can’t tell if my last comment made it.
Three other stripy zucchini are called “Gadzukes” and “Summer Green Tiger” and “Caserta”. The yellow ones are called “Gourmet Gold”. I prefer golden zucchini to green – the golden ones seem to be firmer and sweeter.
The solid, dark green ones are the type I see for sale in the stores but I never grow them. I like the ‘white’ best, which are a pale green, and the golden ones but they never do as well as the white. This one is new to me. I think it will be great for stuffing this fall – when I use the oven again.
We see the dark green ones in the stores – pretty much year round (but of course, when it’s not summer, they’re from far far away). And we see the golden ones for about two weeks right around now – only locally grown. I love the golden ones. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the pale green version. I’ll try to remember to look at the overpriced farmers’ market to see if they have that colour.
Sadly I think all produce is going to become expensive with the current climate conditions…. You may have to rent a plot and plant your own. I like the pale green best lol They’re called Italian White
We may have to do just that! Our neighbour has planted little cucumbers; we have custody of the garden this week. Those little cucumbers are incredibly sweet.
But zucchini just don’t do well here. Not even our master gardener neighbour on the other side of us has had any luck with zucchini. (Perhaps I’ll look for Italian white zucchini in Italytown… alas, it looks like I’ve missed the gold ones this year.)