Good summer squash recipe that freezes well?

[wildeyed]

The Rampicante squash is over-producing as usual. Instead of dumping the extras on the neighbors porch when they are out like I usually do, I want to try freezing some. I borrowed a dehydrator for tomatoes, peppers and herbs, but dehydrated summer squash sounds blah. Any suggestions?

[noamnety]

1. This month's Mother Earth News

discusses a book called Drying With Attitude. The author suggests marinating thin slices of zucchini and drying it into chips for snacks - which sounds better to me than drying it plain for soups. That might be worth at least a try.

[wildeyed]

2. With a yummy marinade and a little sea salt, it might be good.

Worth a try, thanks!

[wildeyed]

7. Do you have a suggestion for the marinade?

Should it have oil or not? I was planning to do this today, but I can't find a recipe online.

[noamnety]

9. I found a recipe last night that looked good

Ingredients

* 2 pounds zucchini, sliced
* Namu Shoyu (Soy Sauce)
* 1 Lime, juiced/squeezed

Preparation

Slice the zucchini into “chips” about 1/4 inch thick and place in shallow bowl or dish. Squeeze the juice of one lime into dish along with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of Namu Shoyu. Add enough water to cover the chips. Let marinate for 2 hours.


http://goneraw.com/recipes/288-Zucchini-Chips

They suggest predrying at 105 before putting on the dehydrator.

I read some comments online from people who suggested making sure, whatever recipe you use, that you salt the zucchini a little to draw out the water - some folks had issues with the chips coming out leathery instead of crispy. You could also hit them just a bit with a misto for a light coating of oil, and salt, and do them pretty plain like that.

I also found these - but the shoyu and lime juice sounded better to me:

For sweet ones (sm. round bowl)
Zucchini sliced very thin coated with Agave Nectar
Dehydrated over night 105 degrees

For salty ones (rectangular bowl)
Zucchini sliced very thin coated with Italian dressing (Good Seasons Packet prepared as directed)
Dehydrated all day 105 degrees
------------------------------------
After reading more on this, I think I'm going to try using beets, too. I have a fair amount of them growing (I threw some into the flower garden because the foliage looks decorative) and if I can make them into chips, I might grow even more next year.

[wildeyed]

12. That is the exact recipe I found too, after I posted my reply!

I didn't read the comments carefully enough. I just sliced the squash thin, hit it with the misto and some salt and slapped it into the dehydrator. I only did two levels of the squash, so if the consistency comes out weird, I won't have too much to use. I can always add it to a soup or stir fry later.

I am going to try the marinade later when I have more time. I also reserved a book at the library about drying food, so maybe I will find something useful there, too.

[wildeyed]

15. I have done a few plain batches now.

Here is what worked for me. Cut the squash as thin as possible. A mandoline would probably be helpful if you are doing large quantities. Let the slices sit for a bit, then pat with a dry cloth to absorb excess moisture. I salted mine at this point, but they came out really salty and it may not have been necessary. Dehydrate. Mist with olive oil and enjoy!

The thicker slices came out leathery, but they were still a tasty snack, just not as 'chip-y' as the thin slices.

This is a great strategy to deal with an overproducing squash plant! I ate the chip equivalent of two decent sized squash without even thinking about it as I made lunch. And it was different enough in taste and texture from the squash I have been eating in pasta, side dishes, etc. that I didn't feel sick of it.

Cool idea, thanks!

[noamnety]

16. I tried the lime/shoyu one since I posted

I kept stealing them out of the dehydrator as they were drying, because the limeness was so yummy. But they were still leathery.

Then they dried up more, still a little leathery - but not quite as good. So we shut it off, and I regret not leaving them at the stage they were in when I kept swiping them. I still will eat them, but the chewiness wasn't a problem and the flavor was stronger early in.

I want to try a batch next where I precook them a bit, then dry to see what that does to the texture. In the Mother Earth article they mentioned drying blueberries by briefly dunking in boiling water then freezing, then drying to break down the cell structure a bit. I'm guessing that might work here.

[wildeyed]

17. I was thinking that the marinade might add too much moisture.

Did you slice the squash super-thin? Perhaps if you did the marinade, then spread the slices on a rack to air dry a bit before you put them into the dehydrator?

The plain chips with with salt and olive oil were really pretty good. But add the oil *after* drying. The batch I did with oil before was weird and leathery.

[Warpy]

3. Frozen summer squash and eggplant

will always just turn to mush because of the high water content.

Better to dry them into chips.

[Gormy Cuss]

4. HereSince's squash Irka recipe worked well after freezing

Link here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=236&topic_id=36074&mesg_id=36074

I made it just to the point of the cooked puree and froze that. When I wanted to serve it, the puree was thawed and heated and I added the rest of the ingredients.

I also used the frozen puree as a stock substitute for a vegetable soup -- worked okay as I recall.

[hippywife]

5. Has anyone ever seen

frozen squash or zucchini in the frozen food section of the grocery store? I'm trying to think if I ever have and I can't recall it. I think maybe squash is one of those things that is here when it's here and not when it's not? :shrug:

[NMDemDist2]

6. i have

sliced and frozen zucchinis IIRC

they were about 1/4 thick and that zigzag cut

[hippywife]

8. I was just doing my monthly co-op order

this morning and I noticed one of the producers was selling summer squash chips. They just dry and salt them from the looks of it and claim their pretty darn good.

I did forget one thing re: recipes for freezing. I was looking at it as freezing the squash by itself. (I'm in food preservation mode right now so my thought tend to bend that way.) I make a veggie lasagna using zukes in one layer and yellow crooknecks in another. I make a big pan and there are always left overs so I do freeze it. Haven't had nay problems with it when re-heating. Still tastes great and no real discernible texture changes.

[wildeyed]

10. That is good news.

I make a veggie enchilada that is summer squash and red beans filling with cheese and a cream/tomato/cilantro sauce. It is heavenly and the sauce is easy to make, so if I have the filling in the freezer, I can whip it up in no time.

[hippywife]

11. Or you could

make the whole recipe, so you can just pop it in the oven. Nothing wrong with homemade frozen dinners at all! :D

[wildeyed]

13. And can you imagine how much an all organic family sized frozen entree would cost at the grocery?

$$$! I love freezing meals. So nice when I come in late, frazzled, with no plan for dinner and then realize that all I have to do is heat something up for a fab homemade meal :)

[hippywife]

14. You'll definitely be saving

some buckaroos there! And many times it tastes better than when it was first prepared, too!

[hippywife]

18. There's always this option, too.

http://southernfood.about.com/od/picklesrelishes/r/bl00819f.htm