I didn't succession-plant salad this summer, so for green veggies we have been relying on Swiss chard, handfuls of green beans here and there, and summer squash.
My priorities for summer squash are: 1. Freshness. 2. Ratio of Skin to Meat. 3. Low Effort. 4. No Guilt.
Freshness: why gardening would STILL be better than shopping, even if it wasn't more fun.
Ratio: I say "Ratio of Skin to Meat" rather than"Size" because zucchini, crooknecks, pattypans etc. all get away from all of us at all times. Small and Fresh is best. If not small, Medium-sized and Fresh is also very good. My suggestion is to cut up the medium-to-large ones in such a way that a high Skin-to-Meat ratio is obtained.
Low Effort: Given full sun and a nice hill of compost, one summer squash bush goes and goes and goes long after you do anything for it.
No Guilt: The really big ones go to the chickens.
Now that you are absolved of all Effort and Guilt, I will tell you how to enjoy summer squash for dinner every other day from mid-July to late-Powdery-Mildew:
Step one: Remove all conventional cooking facilities from your dwelling, as well as doors, ceiling, floors, plumbing and electricity.
Step two: Install a convenient gas grill (or hardwood charcoal grill) in a convenient spot somewhere between your dwelling and where the squash are at.
Step three: Dice a bunch of garlic, whatever herbs you have, and judicious amounts of the hot-hot-hot peppers your Mom grew by mistake when all she wanted was sweet green peppers.
Step four: Harvest summer squash, and cut up in shapes that maintain a high Skin-to-Meat-Ratio, yet are too large to fall through the grates of your grill.
Step five: Toss squash pieces with olive oil, the garlic, herbs, peppers and spices if you like.
Step Six: Wait & Marinate briefly. Or for a couple of hours. Or not at all.
Step Seven: Grill until stripes are formed on the squash pieces, and the insides of each piece have given up some moisture. This will require turning once or twice, but the timing of the operation is not nearly as critical as when animal meat is being grilled.
Step eight: Enjoy hot off the grill, or cold later.
Step nine: Compost any leftovers, then resume at Step Three, until frost or powdery-mildew ends production.
