Imagine traveling back in time: five, ten, fifteen, twenty, thirty, and thirty-five years. You find yourself at a Cleveland farmer’s market, where a young Farmer Lee Jones is selling squash and other fresh vegetables. The Jones family lost their farm due to high interest rates and a devastating hailstorm.
A classically trained chef named Iris Bailin, recently returned from Europe, approaches Lee. She’s searching for ingredients that are common overseas but rare in the U.S. She asks Lee for squash blossoms, which his family usually discards. Intrigued, Lee sneaks her some blossoms, and Iris praises their quality. She offers to pay 50 cents apiece and asks for more, astonishing Lee.
When Lee tells his father, Bob Sr., about the unexpected demand, they decide to shift the focus of their farm. From then on, The Chef’s Garden specializes in growing rare and high-quality produce for chefs and home cooks alike.
Squash Recipes and Cooking Techniques
“Squash and the squash blossom are the perfect representation of the farm,” says Culinary Vegetable Institute Chef Jamie Simpson, “because the whole plant is great.”
Here are some of the ways that we use squash and their blooms:
- Summer Squash Tart Recipe
- Baked Ricotta Squash Blossom With Squash Attached
- Seared Summer Squash
- Squash Blossom Quesadilla
- Squash Blossom Tomato Herb Focaccia
- Summer Succotash with Squash Blooms
“You can also use the stems,” Jamie says. They resemble celery. The fibrous leaves can be blanched or juiced to offer a beautiful summer flavor profile.”
At The Chef’s Garden, the grown squash is typically smaller than what’s found in grocery stories. “So, it’s usually briefly cooked,” Jamie shares. “In and out. You can steam or blanch or sauté in a pan with a bit of water or stock. Squash is a sponge in that it drinks up what you give it. So, for example, if you cook it with butter, be careful how much you use.”
One of Jamie’s favorite ways to cook zucchini is to create long strips with a mandoline slicer. Marinate and grill them long enough to pick up the smoky flavor, warming it up rather than actually cooking it.