Many people love yellow squash for the fact that of the summer squashes, it's considered to have the most flavor. It is buttery and nutty, which lends itself well to an old-fashioned creamed recipe. The two main types of yellow squash you'll find in grocery stores are yellow crookneck and yellow straightneck. Use them interchangeably in recipes, although yellow straightneck squash tend to have thinner skins and tend to be better suited to recipes with a short cooking time.
Salting
While not a required step, salting summer squash before using it in a recipe can draw off some of the excess liquid. Slice the squash in half lengthwise and sprinkle the cut surfaces with salt; 1/2 tsp. is enough for a pound of squash. Place the salted squash in a colander and let it stand for about a half hour. Rinse the squash and pat dry.
Preparation
Saute or steam squash that you plan to turn into a creamed squash dish. Saute or steam the squash before adding it to a skillet with the milk and other ingredients. Begin by trimming the ends off of the squash and slicing it. Saute the squash and with minced shallots in a large skillet with unsalted butter until the vegetables are barely tender and translucent, about five minutes.
Skillet Creamed Squash
Creamed dishes rely on milk, or light cream, thickened with flour. Use a proportion of 1 tbsp. flour to 1 cup milk, or 1/2 cup light cream thinned with stock or the cooking liquid from the squash, if you choose to lightly simmer it before creaming. After the squash is lightly cooked, either by simmering or sauteing, add the flour to the skillet with the squash and shallots, and cook briefly, stirring constantly. After adding the milk, season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Many recipes also call for a dash of nutmeg, dried mustard, or herbs like thyme and parsley. Allow the sauce to thicken and reduce by about half by cooking over high heat while stirring constantly.
Baked Creamed Squash
Bake creamed yellow squash as a casserole in the oven. Saute the squash with shallots as you would for the skillet method, or steam the squash lightly. Use a buttered casserole and mix the squash with the flour and milk mixture, salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, and any other preferred seasonings. Bake it with or without a traditional casserole topping, such as seasoned bread crumbs, grated Parmesan or cheddar cheese, or crushed crackers. Chopped fresh thyme or parsley is a flavorful addition to creamed squash after it's finished cooking.
References
- "Julia and Jacques Cooking At Home"; Julia Child et al.; 1999
- "The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The Original Classics"; Martha Stewart; 2007
- What's Cooking America: Squash Varieties
- USDA: What's Available in the Summer: Summer Squash Newsletter
- Cooks.com: Creamed Vegetables
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