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Squash & Zuccini
Baked Squash - (client recipie)

App 2 tbsp Brown sugar
App 2tsp Sherry
Most any kind of squash

Halve squash and poke some holes in the flesh with a fork. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Add brown sugar to each half, just
enough to cover the flesh lightly. Pour about 1 tsp of sherry over the sugar and bake for another 20-25 minutes.

My parents make this at their B&B (The Doctor's Inn) in PEI with their own organically grown squash.
 
Queensland Blue Pumpkin and Chilli Soup.
 
1 Large onion - chopped
2 shallots - chopped
1 stick celery, remove string and dice
1 knob of ginger grated on a Japanese ginger grater (vary the amount of ginger according to your taste)
1 stick of lemon grass, bashed
4/5 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 or 2 fresh chillies, seeded and diced (You can also add a small amount of Thai chilli paste according to how hot you want the soup to be. We don't like too much because we think you need to taste the pumpkin not just blow your brain out with heat)
Cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice, turmeric. cumin
1 large yellow potato, peeled and diced
1 large slice Queensland blue, peeled and diced
chicken stock
Coconut cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Non-flavoured oil like grape seed.
Fresh Coriander for garnish

Gently cook the onions, shallots and celery in the oil. When they start to soften and not colour add the lemon grass, chillies, ginger and spices.

When the spices become fragrant add the garlic - be very careful not to brown the garlic. Add the pumpkin, potato and chicken stock, cover and cook until the vegetables are soft.

Remove lemon grass and place in food processor in small batches with a little coconut milk and adjust the seasoning. Thin with stock if it's too thick and if you want it richer, add more coconut cream.

We serve this with chopped fresh coriander and a swirl of coconut cream and you can pass extra chilli in case some people want to blow their brains out anyway!
Crunchy Zucchini and Tomatoes
 
3 sm Zucchini, unpared, cut diagonally
1 tb Margarine
2 tb Finely chopped onion
1/2 Clove garlic, finely chopped
1 c Cherry tomatoes, halved
Salt and pepper
1 tb Sesame seeds
2 tb Finely chopped parsley
Blanch zucchini with boiling water for 1 minute; drain. Melt margarine; add onion and garlic. Saute on med heat. Heat 1 minute. Add zucchini; cook, covered 2 minutes. Add tomatoes; cook, covered, 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper. Add sesame seeds and parsley. Toss gently.
Pan-Fried Zucchini Flowers
 
24 zucchini flowers (about 4 cups)
cold-pressed peanut or grape seed oil
2 large eggs, beaten
2 cups flour seasoned with salt and pepper salt

Heat 1 inch of oil in a 12-inch saute pan over medium high until oil is hot but not smoking.

Have eggs and flour in 2 shallow soup dishes. Dip several blossoms in the egg, let most of it drain away, then roll in flour, shaking off excess. Fry a few minutes until crisp and golden brown on both sides.

Drain on paper towels, season with salt and serve hot. Variation: Make a light flour and water batter, blending it to the consistency of heavy cream. After dipping the blossoms, most of the batter was allowed to drain away.

Ricotta Stuffed Zucchini Flowers
 
1/2 lb Ricotta cheese
1/2 Onion; minced
1/4 c Toasted almonds or pine nuts -(finely chopped)
1/4 c Parmesan cheese
1/2 ts Ground pepper 1 ts Seasoning salt
2 tb Minced fresh basil
1/2 ts Butter; melted
10 Zucchini or squash flowers

Mix together all ingredients except butter and flowers. With filling at room temperature, use a pastry tube to carefully stuff flowers; do not overfill. Drizzle melted butter over flowers and cook in microwave on medium power for 3 minutes, or at 350 F in regular oven for about 15 minutes.

Be careful not to let filling ooze out of flowers. Garnish with nasturtiums stuffed with extra filling.
Fennel & squash soup
Fennel's mild anise flavour seasons squash so this soup tastes rich without any added cream

1 fennel bulb
1 onion
1 large celery stalk
1 small squash
1 tbsp ( 15 mL) butter
2 cans ( 10 oz/284 mL) chicken broth, preferably salt-reduced, and 2 cups (500 mL) water, or 4-1/2 cups (1.12 L) chicken or vegetable bouillon
1/2 tsp ( 2 mL) salt (optional)

Cut fronds (feathery leaves) from fennel and save for garnish. Remove core from bulb. Thickly slice bulb and white parts of fronds. Coarsely chop onion and celery. Peel (see tip below), seed and cut fresh squash into cubes.

Heat butter in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add onion and celery. Cook until onion has softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in fennel, squash and enough undiluted broth and water to cover vegetables. Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat, cover and simmer until vegetables are very tender, from 15 to 30 minutes.

Purée vegetables in several batches in a food processor. Return to saucepan. Stir in remaining liquid. Heat, stirring often, until hot. Add salt, if needed. Ladle soup into bowls, then float a small piece of frond on top. Soup will keep well, covered and refrigerated, for 3 days or freeze.

Spicy zucchini salad
Makes 3 - 4 servings
3 zucchini or yellow summer squash, or mixture of both
1 lime
1 tbsp ( 15 mL) soy sauce
1-1/2 tsp ( 7 mL) sesame oil, preferably dark
1-1/2 tsp ( 7 mL) freshly grated ginger or 1/4 tsp (1 mL) crushed ground ginger
1/4 tsp ( 1 mL) crushed red pepper
2 tbsp ( 30 mL) finely chopped fresh coriander or parsley

Cut zucchini in half, lengthwise. Using a food processor or sharp knife, thinly slice or julienne zucchini. Place in a mixing bowl

Grate peel from lime, then cut lime in half and squeeze out juice. You should have about 2 tablespoons. Whisk peel and juice with soy, oil, ginger, red pepper and coriander. Pour over zucchini and mix until evenly coated. Serve right away or cover and refrigerate. This salad is best served within 3 hours after it is made as zucchini becomes soggy.