Recipes For Cucuzza Squash Food

STEWED TOMATOES AND CUCUZZA

Steps:

• Heat oil in skillet and add onions and garlic.
• Saute until onions are tender (but do not brown).
• Add tomatoes and tomato sauce.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes.
• Add diced cucuzza, basil, salt and pepper.
• Simmer an additional 20-30 minutes, until cucuzza is tender.
• Add Parmesan cheese before serving, if desired.

SPAGHETTI WITH CUCUZZA SQUASH

Steps:

• Slice the amount of garlic cloves you wish to use thinly. Add the garlic to a saute pan that has been heated with the oil and butter in it over medium high heat (*Note: If you're not a big fan of garlic just add 1 whole clove slightly cracked, to the oil and saute it for about 2-3 minutes then remove the garlic from the pan).
• Add the cucuzzi to the pan and mix with the sauteed garlic. Continue to saute the cucuzzi and garlic until the cucuzzi gets colored, always watching that you are not burning the garlic you left in the pan. Cucuzzi can take a lot of color in the pan before it burns, and it gets sweeter as it gets the deeper color.
• Prepare the spaghetti to the "al dente" point and then thoroughly drain it.
• Add all the cucuzzi, oil, butter, and garlic to the spaghetti and toss to thoroughly mix.
• Add the grated cheese to the spaghetti and toss it once more. If the spaghetti mixture seems dry, add a little more butter and/or olive oil to moisten. Hint: You can add more cheese if you like, I do.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste -- Enjoy!

SPICY TEXAS CUCUZZA-PEPPER RELISH

Steps:

• Finely chop cucuzza, onion, bell peppers and jalapeños. (This can be a time consuming step, so I use my Pampered Chef food chopper).
• Place cucuzza, onions, bell peppers and jalapeños in a large mixing bowl.
• Sprinkle pickling salt over cucuzza mixture and stir well to combine.
• Let cucuzza mixture sit on the counter at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Thoroughly rinse cucuzza mixture in a strainer under cold running water.
• Use a wooden spoon to press the veggies against the side of the strainer to drain as much water as you can.
• Place drained cucuzza mixture in a clean bowl.
• Let sit on the counter for an additional 15 minutes, then drain again to remove excess water.
• In a large stockpot, combine vinegar, sugar, Thai peppers, celery seeds, cayenne pepper, turmeric and black pepper.
• Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
• Reduce heat to simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Remove Thai peppers from pot and discard.
• Add chopped cucuzza mixture to the stockpot.
• Cook for an additional 5 minutes or until veggies are tender.
• In a small bowl, combine water and cornstarch; mix to dissolve.
• Pour cornstarch mixture into stockpot and cook for 5 minutes.
• Pour into sterilized canning jars and process in a water bath for 10 minutes.

GRILLED SQUASH AND ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Preheat grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Place yellow squash and zucchini on a square of aluminum foil; sprinkle with lemon zest, lemon juice, and butter. Season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Wrap the aluminum foil over the vegetables.
• Cook vegetables on the preheated grill until tender, about 30 minutes.

CUCUZZA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Sift flour, cinnamon, baking soda and baking powder together and set aside.
• Beat eggs with sugar, oil and vanilla.
• Add flour mixture to egg mixture, mix well.
• Add grated cucuza (skin, seed and all), orange zest, pineapple and pecans.
• Mix well.
• Divide batter into 2 greased loaf pans.
• Pan should be about 1/2 full.
• Bake for 45 minutes, or until cakes test done.
• Let cool for about 10 minutes.
• Mix all icing ingredients together, using enough milk to get a smooth, spreadable icing.
• Remove cakes from pans and glaze tops of cakes while warm.

CHOCOLATE CUCUZZA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine butter, oil and sugar, creaming until smooth.
• Add eggs, one at a time beating well after each addition.
• Add vanilla and beat well.
• In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and cloves.
• Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, alternately with buttermilk.
• Stir in shredded cucuzza.
• Pour batter into a greased 13X9-inch baking pan.
• Bake for 45-50 minutes until done. You can test to see if the cake is done by inserting a toothpick near the center of the cake and see if it comes out clean. If it does, it's done.
• Allow cake to cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl, combine all frosting ingredients.
• Spread over warm cake.
• Broil in oven approximately 4-6 inches from the heat for about 2-3 minutes. Be careful not to burn, it will broil fast!
• Cool cake completely before serving.
• ~NOTE~ You don't have to peel or seed the cucuzza, just wash the outside skin with warm water and pat dry before shredding.

ITALIAN CUCUZZA STEW

Steps:

• Brown the ground beef in a skillet, drain and set aside.
• In a large dutch oven, add the olive oil and sauté the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic for about 4-5 minutes, or until the onions are translucent.
• Add the ground beef to the pot along with the can of whole tomatoes, add the cucuzza, and the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered for around 45 minutes or until the squash is cooked.

KUSA MIHSHI - STUFFED LEBANESE SQUASH / CUCUZZA / KOOSA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350ºF.
• Hollow out each zucchini using a zucchini / apple corer or small, flexible paring knife, leaving 1/8-inch-thick walls.
• Combine lamb, rice, 1 1/4 teaspoons marjoram, 3/4 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon mint, 1/8 teaspoon allspice, salt and cayenne in a medium bowl. Loosely stuff each zucchini with the lamb mixture. Place the stuffed zucchini in a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
• Combine tomato sauce with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon marjoram, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 3/4 teaspoon mint and 1/8 teaspoon allspice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil then pour over the zucchini. Cover the pan with foil.
• Bake, turning the zucchini halfway through cooking, until the zucchini and rice are tender and the filling reaches 165ºF on an instant-read thermometer, 40 to 50 minutes. Serve the zucchini with the sauce.