Summer Squash Pickle Food

SUMMER SQUASH REFRIGERATOR PICKLES

Steps:

• In a small saucepan combine cider vinegar, water, brown sugar, salt and garlic cloves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile, divide spices and optional dill sprigs between 2 pint jars or use 1 quart jar. Pack sliced zucchini into the jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space below the rim of the jar.
• Use hot, sterilized jars. If using pint jars, divide garlic that is in the vinegar mixture between the 2 jars. Pour in the hot vinegar mixture, leaving 1/2 inch below the rim of the jar. Push the squash down into the liquid to cover completely. Seal the jars and leave to cool, then refrigerate for up to 2 months. For best results, don't open for 2 days.

SO-SWEET SQUASH PICKLES

Steps:

• Place squash, pepper and onion in a colander over a plate; sprinkle with salt and toss. Let stand 1 hour to drain., In a large saucepan, combine remaining ingredients; bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add vegetables; return to a boil. Remove from heat; cool completely., Transfer to a covered container; refrigerate, covered, at least 4 days before serving. May be stored in refrigerator up to 3 weeks.

PICKLED SQUASH

Steps:

• In a large pot or bowl, layer sliced squash and onions, and sprinkle eash layer generously with kosher salt.
• Let sit 1 hour.
• Drain.
• In large pot combine vinegar, sugar, pickling spice, and crushed red pepper and bring to a boil.
• Add squash and onions and return to boil.
• Ladle vegetables and enough of the liquid to cover them within 1/2 inch into sterilized jars.
• Wipe rims and jars clean, and put lids and rings on jars.
• Process jars in hot water bath for 10 minutes.
• Remove jars from water bath and allow to cool.
• Any jars that do not seal should be refrigerated and used withing 2 weeks.

SWEET YELLOW SQUASH PICKLES

Steps:

• In a large non-metal bowl, combine the squash and onion. Sprinkle salt over the vegetables and stir to combine. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Then, drain the liquid from the vegetables.
• In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, vinegar, mustard seeds, celery seeds, and dry mustard. Bring to a boil and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
• Add the squash and onion mixture and then return to boiling.
• Remove from heat. Ladle the hot vegetables and liquid into sterilized canning jars.
• At this point, the jars can be processed for long-term canning or covered and stored as-is in the refrigerator for up to one month.
• Chill at least 24 hours before serving.

SQUASH RELISH

Steps:

• Place the squash, onion, and red and green bell peppers into a large bowl, and sprinkle with salt. Toss to combine, and allow the vegetables to drain for 1 hour. Discard juice.
• Place the sugar, vinegar, celery seeds, and mustard seeds into a large pot, and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Stir in the squash mixture, and return to a boil. Cook the mixture until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
• Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack the squash relish into the hot, sterilized jars, filling the jars to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids, and screw on rings.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder. Leave a 2-inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary until the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a full boil, cover the pot, and process for 10 minutes, or the time recommended for your area.
• Remove the jars from the pot, and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Store in the refrigerator.

QUICK PICKLED ZUCCHINI AND SUMMER SQUASH

Steps:

• Using a mandolin, carefully slice the summer squash. If using a knife, make sure to cut pieces as evenly as possible, to the same thickness. Thicker slices will result in a crunchier pickle. Paper-thin will be softer.
• Slice the small onion, or shallot. Toss both onion and squash in a bowl with a tablespoon of salt and let drain in a colander or strainer over a bowl for 2 hours or overnight. Pat dry.
• Make the pickling solution: In a small pot, bring white wine vinegar, water, rice wine vinegar, sugar, and salt to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves, let cool slightly.
• In each 4 oz jar, add about a tablespoon of fresh dill, a teaspoon of mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp peppercorns, a few slices of chile pepper and sliced garlic cloves. You could also try experimenting with other seeds like whole coriander, cumin, or fennel seed. Then layer the squash and onion in jars, and top off with the pickling liquid.
• Press down on the squash. Seal, and let cool in the fridge.

SUMMER SQUASH BREAD AND BUTTER PICKLES

Steps:

• Toss together yellow squash, zucchini, and onions with 1/4 cup canning salt and crushed ice in a large bowl. Press a plate directly onto vegetables and place a 5-pound weight on top (a bag of sugar in a sealed plastic bag works well). Let stand at room temperature 4 hours.
• Sterilize jars and lids .
• Bring vinegar, syrup, water, mustard seeds, allspice, celery seeds, and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons canning salt to a boil in a 3-quart saucepan, then simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.
• Cut a lengthwise slit in each chile (don't cut all the way through), then add chiles to pickling liquid and continue to simmer 1 minute.
• Drain jars upside down on a clean kitchen towel 1 minute, then invert.
• Drain vegetables in a colander set over a bowl to catch liquid, then pack into jars, tucking a chile pepper into side of each jar. Fill jars with pickling liquid, leaving 1/4 inch of space at top, then run a thin knife between vegetables and jar to eliminate air bubbles.
• Seal, process, and store filled jars , boiling pickles in jars 20 minutes.
• Let pickles stand in jars at least 1 week for flavors to develop.

15 ESSENTIAL ZUCCHINI RECIPES: ZUCCHINI PARMESAN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450ºF (convection roast if you have it). Line two baking sheets - I love these extra-large baking sheets for this - with parchment (for easy cleanup). In a very large bowl (or two large bowls if you don't have an extra-large one), dress the squash with 1/4 cup olive oil and salt to taste - be generous. Season with pepper to taste as well. Toss well - the slices should feel evenly oiled.
• Transfer the seasoned squash to each of the prepared sheet pans and spread in an even layer - it's OK if some of the squash are overlapping. Transfer the pans to the oven, and bake until the slices are beginning to brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Rotate the pans. Bake for 10 to 15 more minutes or until most of the slices are golden - it's very likely that one of the squash will look completely done and some will look like they need more time. This is fine - the goal with the roasting is mostly to remove moisture so that the finished casserole is not watery. Remove pans from the oven and set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees.
• Meanwhile, toss the 2 cups bread crumbs with 1/3 cup of the grated parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
• Into a 9×13-inch baking dish, spoon a small amount of sauce (about 1/2 cup), then a single layer of roasted squash, then a thin layer of parmesan. Repeat the layering until all of the squash and cheese has been used, ending with a little sauce. Top with the bread crumb mixture.
• Bake until the squash mixture is bubbly and the top is golden, 25 minutes or so depending on size of pan and thickness of layers. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. This can also be made ahead and reheated.

SUMMER SQUASH RELISH

Steps:

• Drain the vegetables: Layer the squash and onions, salting each layer with kosher salt, in a large nonreactive bowl. Let stand in sink for 3 hours. Drain the squash and onions, transfer to a large colander and rinse well under cold water. Place a bowl over the vegetables, and add a couple cans of tomatoes or whatever you have on hand to weigh the bowl down to squeeze out as much of the water as possible.
• Prepare the jars and lids: Wash all jars and lids thoroughly with soap and water and rinse well. Fill your canner with enough water to cover the jars by at least 1-inch and bring to a simmer. Using a pair of canning tongs, lower the jars in gently, tilting them to fill with the hot water. In a small saucepan, keep some water warm but not boiling; place the lids in the water. Have an additional kettle of water on to boil.
• Make the brine: Bring the sugar, vinegars, mustard and celery seeds and turmeric to a rolling boil in a large nonreactive stockpot or Dutch oven. Add the squash and onions. Bring back to the boil, stirring gently. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
• Make the relish: Transfer the pickles in batches to a food processor, and pulse until broken down to a fine, even consistency. Return the processed relish to a pan and bring back to a boil. Add the pectin, stir until completely dissolved and bring back to the boil for 1 minute.
• Fill and close the jars: Using canning tongs, remove the jars from the canner, carefully pouring the water back into the canner. Set next to the relish in the saucepan. Turn the heat under the canner to high. Use a ladle to pour the relish into the jars through a canning funnel, leaving 1/2-inch headspace at the top. Run a clean chopstick around the inside of the jar to dislodge any trapped air. Wipe the rims of the jars with a damp paper towel. Place the lids on, and screw on the rings until just finger-tight.
• Seal the jars: Using canning tongs, gently transfer the jars to the canner, taking care to keep them vertical. When all the jars are in the canner, there should be at least 1 inch of water covering them; if you need more, add water from the kettle until the jars are sufficiently covered. Bring the water to a full rolling boil, and process for 10 minutes.
• Remove and cool: Using canning tongs, gently remove the jars from the canner and transfer them to a kitchen towel or cooling rack, again keeping them vertical. Do not set hot jars directly on to cool counter surfaces. Leave to cool, undisturbed, for at least 12 hours. If any of the jars do not seal when cool, reprocess using the method above, or refrigerate and use immediately.
• Label and store: Add a label to the lid or side of your jar, noting the date it was canned. Remove the rings and store jars in a cool, dark place for up to one year. Refrigerate after opening.

PICKLED SQUASH

Steps:

• In a large non-aluminum pot, combine the squash, bell pepper, and onions. Cover with salt, and let stand for 2 hours to release the liquids. Stir occasionally.
• Just before the 2 hours are up, combine the sugar, vinegar, mustard seed, turmeric and celery seed in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Drain the salty liquid from the vegetables. Pour the spice brine over the vegetables, and let stand for 2 more hours.
• Bring to a boil once again, and simmer for about 5 minutes. Ladle into 1 pint sterile jars, filling with the liquid to within 1/4 inch of the top. Wipe rims with a clean towel, and run a thin spatula around the inside of the jar to remove air bubbles. Seal with lids and rings. Process for 10 minutes in a simmering water bath to seal completely.

SQUASH PICKLES WITH ZUCCHINI OR YELLOW SUMMER SQUASH

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients and canning equipment.
• Place zucchini or summer squash and onions in a large nonreactive pot ; add the pickling salt and enough water to cover. Let stand for 2 hours.
• Pour the mixture into a colander; rinse well with cold water and drain thoroughly.
• Return the rinsed squash to the nonreactive pot.
• Pour the vinegar into a 2-quart saucepan and bring to a boil and stir in 1 cup of the sugar, celery seed, turmeric, and mustard seed.
• Pour the hot vinegar over the squash and onions. Taste and add up to 1 cup additional sugar depending upon your preference. Let stand for 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, prepare the jars and lids . Wash the jars and lids in hot, soapy water. Fill a large canner with water.
• Place a rack in the pan and add the jars. Bring to a simmer. Turn the heat down to low to keep the jars hot.
• Put the lids in a separate saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a bare simmer; do not boil. Keep them hot in the barely simmering water until it's time to seal the jars.
• Bring the squash and vinegar mixture back to a boil, cook for 5 minutes then remove from the heat.
• Pack the boiled squash pickles into the hot sterilized jars leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Wipe the edges of the jar with a clean, damp paper towel and seal with the lid and screw-on bands. Do not overtighten.
• Process pint or quart jars in the boiling water bath for 10 minutes from 1 to 1,000 feet, 15 minutes from 1,001 to 6,000 feet, or 20 minutes above 6,000 feet in altitude. Keep the water at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars, adding extra boiling water to cover, if necessary. Serve and enjoy.

ZUCCHINI RELISH

Steps:

• Slice off the stem and flower ends of the squash and compost or discard them.
• Chop the squash very finely, or pulse a few times in a food processor. Transfer the finely chopped squash to a large, non-reactive bowl (no aluminum).
• Peel the onion and slice off the ends. Slice off the stem ends of the bell pepper and remove the seeds. Finely chop the onion and bell pepper, or pulse a few times in a food processor. You want the vegetables to be in tiny pieces, but not totally pulverized into a puree. Add the onion and bell pepper to the squash in the bowl.
• Add the salt to the vegetables and mix well. If it seems like a lot of salt, don't worry: You'll be rinsing most of it off later. The salt is there to draw water out of the vegetables, a step that results in better texture and flavor in the finished relish.
• Cover the bowl of vegetables and leave it in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
• Transfer the vegetables to a finely meshed sieve or strainer and let them drain for a couple of minutes. Rinse them well with cool water and let drain again. Get out even more of the liquid by squeezing with your clean hands (squeeze hard), or by pressing the vegetables against the sieve with the back of a wooden spoon.
• Whisk the cornstarch or ClearJel into the cool or room temperature vinegar. Stir in the sugar and spices. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often to help dissolve the sugar and prevent lumps.
• When the syrup is boiling and becoming translucent, add the vegetables. Simmer the relish for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Scoop the relish into clean, hot canning jars leaving 1/2-inch of headspace. It is not necessary to sterilize the jars for this recipe. Screw on canning lids. Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Once the jars are processed and sealed, zucchini relish will keep at room temperature for up to 1 year. It is still safe to eat after that, but the quality will decline. Once opened, store the jars in the refrigerator.

SUMMER SQUASH PICKLE

Steps:

• Cut onion slices in half and peppers into 1/4 inch by 1 inch strips.
• Combine squash, onions and peppers and sprinkle with salt, cover with water and let stand 2 hours.
• Drain, rinse, drain well.
• Combine vinegar, sugar, and remaining ingredients in a large pot.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 min.
• Add veg and return to a boil-remove from heat immediately.
• Quickly ladle veg and liquid into clean hot jars.
• Leave 1/2 inch head space.
• Seal.
• Process 10 minutes in a boiling water bath.