Chef Ally
Artichokes Braised in Olive Oil
Tender baby artichokes surrendered to good olive oil, garlic, and lemon, cooked low and slow until the leaves soften and the hearts turn silky. A dish that asks you to slow down.
Culinary Explorer
A cooking platform built around craft, culture, and the stories behind what we eat.
Summer Squash with Fresh Basil
Created by
Tender summer squash from the farmers' market, kissed by heat just long enough to soften, finished with raw garlic and basil so fragrant you can smell the garden.
Side Dishes
California
Weeknight
Quick Meal
BBQ
10 min
Active Time
8 min cook•18 min total
Yield4 servings
Summer squash needs almost nothing done to it. That is the point. When you find zucchini and yellow squash at peak season, heavy in your hand and glossy, with tight skin and no soft spots, you are holding the whole dish.
Look for squash no longer than six inches. The small ones have dense flesh and tiny seeds. The large ones are waterlogged and bitter. Ask the farmer when they were picked. This morning is the answer you want.
Slice them thin. Get your pan hot. Cook them fast. Add garlic at the end so it stays raw and bright. Tear the basil with your hands and scatter it over the top while everything is still warm. That is all. Let things taste of what they are.
Every meal is a meaningful choice. Buying these squash from a farmer you trust keeps that farm alive. The connection matters, and the food tastes better for it.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
zucchini
Quantity
1 pound (about 2 small)
yellow summer squash
Quantity
1 pound (about 2 small)
extra-virgin olive oil
Quantity
3 tablespoons, plus more for finishing
garlic
Quantity
2 cloves
sliced paper thin
fine sea salt
Quantity
1/2 teaspoon, plus more to taste
black pepper
Quantity
to taste
freshly cracked
fresh basil leaves
Quantity
1/2 cup
torn
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| zucchini | 1 pound (about 2 small) |
| yellow summer squash | 1 pound (about 2 small) |
| extra-virgin olive oil | 3 tablespoons, plus more for finishing |
| garlicsliced paper thin | 2 cloves |
| fine sea salt | 1/2 teaspoon, plus more to taste |
| black pepperfreshly cracked | to taste |
| fresh basil leavestorn | 1/2 cup |
Equipment Needed
- •Large skillet (12-inch cast iron or stainless steel)
- •Sharp knife for thin slicing
Instructions
- 1
Select and slice the squash
Choose squash that are firm, heavy, and no longer than six inches. The skin should be glossy and tight, with no soft spots or wrinkles. Trim the ends and slice into rounds about a quarter inch thick. If your squash are thicker in the middle, halve those slices into half moons so everything cooks evenly.
Large squash are full of water and seeds. They will steam rather than sear, and the texture suffers. Small is better. - 2
Heat the pan properly
Set a large skillet, cast iron or stainless steel, over medium high heat. Add the olive oil and let it shimmer. The oil should ripple and flow easily across the surface. If it smokes, your pan is too hot. Pull it off the heat for a moment.
- 3
Sauté in batches
Add the squash in a single layer, working in batches if needed. Do not crowd the pan. Crowded squash releases steam and turns soft and pale. You want some golden spots, a bit of color that tells you the sugars are caramelizing. Let the slices sit undisturbed for two minutes before turning them.
Patience here. Moving the squash too soon prevents browning. Wait until you see golden edges before flipping. - 4
Season and finish cooking
Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Continue cooking another two to three minutes, turning occasionally, until the squash is tender but still has some resistance when pierced with a knife. You want texture, not mush. The slices should hold their shape.
- 5
Add garlic off the heat
Remove the pan from the heat. Scatter the paper thin garlic slices over the warm squash and toss gently. The residual heat will soften the garlic just enough while keeping its raw brightness. Cooked garlic tastes different. This way it stays alive.
- 6
Finish with basil and oil
Transfer to a serving dish. Tear the basil leaves with your hands and scatter them over the top. Drizzle with a little more olive oil, the good stuff you save for finishing. Taste. Adjust the salt. The squash should taste like summer, the basil like the garden, the garlic bright and present.
Chef Tips
- •Buy squash that was picked this morning. Look for firm skin, no soft spots, and a fresh green stem. If the stem is dried out, the squash has been sitting too long.
- •Small squash, no longer than six inches, have the best flavor and texture. The large ones are watery and full of seeds.
- •Use your best olive oil for finishing. The cooking oil gets absorbed, but the finishing oil sits on top where you can taste it.
- •Basil bruises easily. Tear it with your hands rather than cutting with a knife. The torn edges release more fragrance.
Advance Preparation
- •Slice the squash up to four hours ahead and keep covered with a damp towel in the refrigerator.
- •This dish is best served immediately. The basil wilts and the garlic loses its brightness if it sits too long.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 185g)
Calories
130 calories
Total Fat
11 g
Saturated Fat
1 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
9 g
Cholesterol
0 mg
Sodium
300 mg
Total Carbohydrates
8 g
Dietary Fiber
3 g
Sugars
5 g
Protein
3 g
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