Grilled Summer Squash
Lynley Jones
The simplest way to prepare summer squash such as zucchini or yellow crookneck on the grill.
This recipe was originally featured in Don't Be Afraid, It's A Tortilla Casserole in our Mostly Plants series.
Serves 4-6
Green and yellow zucchini cut into planks for grilling in the Adventure Kitchen.
Ingredients
6 medium zucchini or other summer squash
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
1. Preheat the grill with two heat zones: a very-high heat zone and a low-heat zone. As the grill heats, prepare the squash as in the next step.
2. Cut each squash vertically, from stem end to flower end, to make long rectangular planks about 1/2-inch thick. (This shape will be easier to work with on the grill.) Medium-sized squash will usually yield two or three planks each; smaller squash might just yield two long halves.
3. Lay the cut squash on a large platter or baking sheet and brush the exposed sides with half the olive oil. Sprinkle evenly with half the salt and pepper.
Green and yellow zucchini on the Adventure Kitchen grill.
4. When the grill has fully preheated, lay the squash pieces oil side-down on the hot side of the grill. Brush the exposed sides of the squash with the remaining olive oil and sprinkle with the remaining salt and pepper. Sear them until they develop as much char as you like, usually about 2-4 minutes. Use tongs to turn them over to sear the other side as desired (usually about 2-4 minutes more), then move them to the low-heat portion of the grill to finish cooking. Depending on how soft you like your squash, and the heat of your grill, they may be done after another 1-5 minutes on the cooler side.
5. As they finish cooking, remove the squash from the grill onto a platter to serve.
Notes:
You can serve these hot off the grill or at room temperature (or backyard temperature, as the case may be).
You can grill up a big batch of squash, eat some and use the rest to make Grilled Summer Veggie Tacos and Budin Azteca (Mexican Casserole). Store in the refrigerator for a couple of days.