Spaetzle, Zucchini and Peppers with an improvised Green Curry Sauce

Steph from Stephfood was our Daring Cooks' July hostess. Steph challenged us to make homemade noodles without the help of a motorized pasta machine. She provided us with recipes for Spätzle and Fresh Egg Pasta as well as a few delicious sauces to pair our noodles with! I appreciated her willingness to let everyone experiment with their own variations on the theme based on their personal preferences, dietary requirements and/or financial restraints.

Since the spätzle was her Dad's recipe, and it was estimated to take 30-minutes, I chose to tackle it instead of fresh egg pasta. My previous attempt at spaetzle involved squeezing it through a potato ricer and resulted in brain like squiggly masses; the tablespoon method Steph and her Dad endorse treated me better. The resulting spaetzle reminded me of dumplings, though not as soft to the bite and sans butter.

As in our house no meal is complete without a vegetable or two, I decided to drop chopped squash and yellow bell pepper into the boiling water during the last minute or so. This made it simple, summery and minimized the number of additional dishes used. The green curry sauce gave it some added zest, thank goodness as the lemon zest I had thrown in did nothing to add flavor thus it is missing from the spätzle recipe below. I would happily revisit this again, though perhaps with a revised or different sauce, and suggest that you consider trying it as long as you like dumplings and/or gnocchi.

Thanks for the reminder to not give up on spätzle, Steph! 

German Spätzle
Yields approximately 15 spätzle pieces

2 Large Eggs
1/2 cup Milk (Any type works - I used Coconut.)
1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour (I needed 1/4 cup extra.)
1 tablespoon chopped Basil (up to 1 tablespoon of any herbs and spices can be used.)
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 tablespoon chopped Basil (for decoration)
1 medium Zucchini, chopped
1 Yellow Bell Pepper, chopped

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and any herbs and spices.
3. Sift in 1/3 of the flour into the liquid mixture and stir until incorporated. Continue adding the flour until the dough is elastic, smooth and very hard to stir.
4. Dip a tablespoon into the boiling water, pour the water out. Scoop up enough dough to fill the moistened tablespoon halfway and drop the dough into the boiling water. Continue until all dough is in the water.
5. Boil for 15 to 20 minutes. If desired, add the zucchini and squash for the last minute to minute and half to blanch it. While the spätzle boils make your sauce.
6. Drain the spätzle and veggies thoroughly.
7. Place the them in a dish and pour a little sauce over each spätzle (you want just enough to dress them lightly). Top with the the chopped basil. 

Improvised Green Curry Sauce
1/2 cup Coconut Milk
2 teaspoons Green Curry Paste
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Cornstarch
1 tablespoon Shredded, Unsweetened Coconut

1. Whisk together coconut milk, curry paste and cornstarch in a bowl. Heat in the microwave for a minute. Whisk again. Continue until it has reduced/thickened to the desired consistency.
2. Stir in shredded coconut.

Summer Squash Brownies

Interning at Red Dog Farm is leaving me with lots of delicious summer squash! For some reason people at the market seem to prefer sleek, green zucchini over its bumpy yellow sibling, squash, so I wanted to think of a way to encourage squash consumption. And what better way than incorporating it into something sweet? If it can be done with zucchini, it can be done with squash. After all they are pretty much interchangeable due to their mild flavor and high water content.

This reasoning and insatiable craving for chocolate led to brownies. Inspired by the recipes listed at the end of the post, I came up with a fudge-like brownie that no one will guess contains squash. I've also limited the amount of added fat and sugar in the recipe, making it a healthier choice than many brownie recipes out there.

Pleased with my end result I brought, apparently illegal, samples to the Farmer's Market this past weekend. They were gone by 9:47 a.m. as were our blueberries, which I'd say makes them a hit. Even the small children who tried them were happy (and none the wiser). I liked that people liked them and I liked it even better that I wasn't busted by an inspector for my contraband baked goods! Enjoy.

Summer Squash Brownies
Yield: One 8 x 8 square pan, which I cut into 25 pieces

4 ounces Unsweetened Chocolate
3 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 cup Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour (All all-purpose flour should be fine too.)
1/2 cup Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
3 Large Eggs at Room Temperature
1 cup Grated, Pressed Summer Squash
1/3 cup Semisweet Chocolate Chips

1. Grate the squash using the large holes on a box grater or a food processor's grating plate. Place the grated squash in a colander with small holes over the sink and press the liquid out with a spatula. Let the squash rest in the colander in the sink.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 8 x 8 baking dish with olive oil. 
3. Place 4 ounces of unsweetened chocolate in a large, microwave-safe mixing bowl. Heat on high for 2 minutes, then stir. Return to the microwave for another minute on high, remove, stir and add the butter. Heat for another 30 seconds. You want the butter and chocolate to both be just melted. Stir them until smooth. 
4. Add 1 cup of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, 1/4 cup of whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup of white all purpose flour to the chocolate and butter mixture. Stir to combine. It will look very dry...
5. Crack the 3 eggs into the bowl. Stir to combine.
6. Press the squash one more time to get as much liquid out as possible. Measure out 1 cup of it into the bowl. Stir.
7. Add 1/3 cup of chocolate chips to the bowl and stir them into the batter.
8. Pour batter into the prepared 8 x 8 pan and place it in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes or until a knife pierced in the middle of the pan comes out free of crumbs. Take care not to overcook the brownies or they will get dry.
9. Remove the pan to a rack to cool for 5 minutes, then remove it from the pan onto the rack. Once cool wrap in plastic and chill overnight. While the brownies can be consumed hot, they taste best the next day.

They also taste good slightly frozen.  

Recipes Referenced
Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes at 101 Cookbooks
Fudgy Brownies at Martha Stewart via The Kitchn
Fudge Drops at King Arthur Flour
How to: Make Cakey, Chewy and Fudgy Brownies at Fine Cooking via The Kitchn
Moosewood Fudge Brownies at Everybody Likes Sandwiches
Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies from the great book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

Sauteed Zucchini with Dill, Garlic and Almonds

Are you suffering from excess zucchini as summer races to its close? If so, or really even if not, Heidi at 101 Cookbooks has an amazing, simple solution: Sauteed Zucchini. This dish has tons of texture and is irresistible.

Browning the garlic, shallots, almonds and zucchini makes a rich base that is brightened by the unexpected dill. You can sprinkle the dish with goat cheese to make it creamier, but it isn't necessary and next time I'll skip it to save the calories for something else...probably a sweet knowing me.

My initial plan was to eat this in some puff pastry cups I've been meaning to use up, but it never got there. I couldn't stop eating it out of the pan and packed up the remainder for a decadent lunch. Perhaps it will make it into those cups another day or I'll just keep eating it just the way it is.

A Variation on Zucchini Strand Spaghetti

The other night I made this delicious sounding Zucchini Strand Spaghetti only I didn't have whole wheat spaghettini, the energy to make basil oil, a mandoline or a colander big enough to drain my noodles over the zucchini to cook it.

I improvised and it worked out wonderfully. I julienned the zucchini by hand and added it to the finished basil, garlic, red pepper and oil mixture and popped the lid on for a few minutes to steam it. Combined the whole thing with some creme fraiche and took in the smooth, creamy texture in big bites.

I didn't want to stop eating it. This pasta dish feels fresh like summer, practically melting in your mouth except for the pleasant crunch of the zucchini. I will definitely revisit it before summer squash season passes.

One warning, the garlic browns fast in the hot oil. I was watching with great pleasure as this happened and then BAM it was slightly burnt. It didn't kill the dish, but it certainly would have been more appealing with slightly less burnt garlic.

Polenta With Zucchini and Tomatoes

I loved, loved, loved this Polenta With Zucchini and Tomatoes. It is easy, hearty and filling. The basil is a light, refreshing note in the midst of the savory zucchini and tomato ragout. The vegetables' smooth, yet crisp texture provide a pleasant contrast to the polenta's firmness.

I used "instant" polenta and learned the valuable lesson that once polenta solidifies into a shape there isn't any opportunity for alteration, thus the lack of a nest for the topping in my polenta square. Next time I would definitely prepare the instant polenta at the last minute rather than doing it first.

I'll definitely revisit this recipe, probably even in the winter when it isn't in season. I think I'll like its warmth even more then.

Ricotta Zucchini Cheesecake

Sunday one of my friends had a birthday party for her Yorkie, Dixie, who was turning one. The hostess flattered me into cooking, in spite of some serious reluctance on my part. The best part was she had only tasted my cookies before so the flattery was without any knowledge of results. Ha ha. Her request was something savory, not a bread. I found this challenging as the easiest dishes to take on public transportation are sweet and/or bread. Plus! I'm more comfortable with sweets.

Intensive online research turned up this recipe for Ricotta Zucchini Cheesecake. I found my lack of a spring form pan a little disconcerting, but everything turned out okay even with my substitution of oregano for dill and use of an 8 x 8 cake pan. It didn't look quite as pretty as it could have, but the flavor was good and the cheesecake very filling. For me the goat cheese on top's rich, tangy flavor made the dish. It also added a contrast in texture to an otherwise slightly soft yet grainy (?) dish. One heads up: it took forever to make, even with the lovely mini-food processor my brother gave me for Christmas (that machine is a miracle worker).

I'll probably try this again in the summer. It's been a great leftover breakfast in the morning most of the week. Should you happen to take this back home via bus with saran wrap on top, start reading a magazine with it under your purse and stand up in a rush dumping it off your lap upside down (saran wrap intact), I'm pleased to report it will hold up.

Zucchini Recipes (for Jaime)

Earlier this month, Kalyn posted an entire blog entry on using up zucchini, which might help. I tried the Roasted Zucchini with Green Onions, Feta Cheese and Basil this week. It has a good flavor, but is a little juicy for my taste. I also found it to have an intense aftertaste/effect, which I never appreciate.


I also tried a variation on this Zucchini Carpaccio this week. I have had it bookmarked since it was posted last July...I'm glad I got around to trying it. As I don't have a food processor or mandolin and tend to be lazy about food aesthetics, I made it into a salad with thicker (but still thin) pieces of zucchini and carrots. The combination of flavors is great and it doesn't require you to heat up the oven. Win!

I also have this recipe for zucchini strand spaghetti bookmarked to try and am tempted by the zucchini recipes that were covered in Animal, Vegetable, Mineral.