Double Squash Cornbread Supper

Way back in February I happened on a cookbook entitled The Classic Zucchini Cookbook: 225 Recipes for All Kinds of Squash, by Nancy C. Ralston et al.

Thinking of my past summers with an over-abundance of zucchini (or zookanook, as my dad calls it), I quickly snatched it up. Then recently, I also noticed that there were NO copies of this handy cookbook at the local Barnes & Noble or Borders. (Local, in my case, being one hour away.) Obviously, I’m not the only one trying to figure out how to deal with all this zucchini!

And then just a couple of days ago, Carol at May Dreams Gardens was pondering what to do with her adorable cue ball zucchini. I posted a not-so-helpful, sketchy version of a recipe I now make all the time here at home. While I look for the version of the recipe that I have adapted and make from instinct and memory, I offer one of my FAVORITE recipes from the aforementioned book that you can use for all that abundance of zucchini!

Double Squash Cornbread Supper

Notes: Our little family TOTALLY LOVES this dish. The zucchini cornbread topping is so delicious, you can serve it all by itself.

Ingredients:

Cornbread Topping 2 cups grated zucchini 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup stone-ground yellow cornmeal 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 2 large eggs, slightly beaten 3/4 plain yogurt 1/4 cup canola oil

Chili Filling 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 onion, diced 1 red or green bell pepper, diced 2 fresh green chiles, such as poblano or jalapeno 1 medium-sized yellow summer squash, quartered and sliced 1 1/2 cups seeded and diced tomatoes (fresh or canned) 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, red kidney beans or pinto beans (home cooked or canned) 2 tablespoons cilantro salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions: 1. Start the cornbread topping by combining the grated zucchini and salt in a colander. Toss to mix well and set aside to drain for 30 minutes. 2.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. 3.  To prepare the chili filling, combine oil, cumin and chili powder in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and chiles. Saute until the onion is softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the summer squash and saute until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, beans and cilantro. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let the chili simmer while you finish the sopping. 4.  To finish the cornbread topping, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda in a medium-sized bowl. Mix well. Combine the eggs, yogurt and oil in a small bowl and mix well. Squeeze the zucchini to remove any excess moisture and add the flour mixture. Mix well. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir just until well combined. The batter will be lumpy. 5.  To assemble the dish, remove the skillet from the heat. Evenly spread the cornbread batter over the chili, spreading it to the edges of the pan. 6.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is golden and firm. A tester inserted near the center should come out clean. 7.  Let stand for about 5 minutes before serving with a pie server or large spoon.

Bon appetit!

–Robin (Bumblebee)

P.S.

The love triangle was back this morning. I am worried that the female bird isn’t eating.