Crookneck Squash with Chèvre
From I ♥ NY: Ingredients and Recipes By Daniel Humm and Will Guidara
Serves 4
Fresh Tomato Jam
3 heirloom tomatoes
Olive oil
Salt
½ bunch thyme plus 1 tablespoon picked thyme leaves
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon sherry vinegar
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Cut the tomatoes in half and remove the seeds. Coat with olive oil and season with salt. Line a 13 by 18-inch rimmed baking sheet with the thyme sprigs and place the tomatoes cut side down on the thyme. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool to room temperature. Peel the tomatoes and remove the cores. Chop the flesh and transfer to a food processor. Pulse just until the tomatoes are broken up. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and hang in a quadruple layer of cheesecloth over a bowl for 2 hours. Discard the liquid. Remove the tomatoes from the cheesecloth and combine with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the thyme leaves, sugar and vinegar. Season with salt to taste.
Summer Squash
4 crookneck squash
3 tablespoons butter
8 patty pan squash, halved
4 baby zucchini, halved
¼ cup chicken stock
Salt
Cut 2 center planks lengthwise from each crookneck squash. Place the planks in a large sauté pan with 2 tablespoons of the butter and cover with a parchment paper lid. Sweat over medium-low heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the patty pan squash and the baby zucchini, cut side down, and continue sweating for another 3 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Remove the parchment paper and remove the pan from the heat. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter, swirling the pan to glaze the vegetables. Season with salt to taste.
To Finish
3½ ounces chèvre
Flowering mint
Mint leaves
Squash blossoms
Crack black pepper
Olive oil
Divide the summer squash evenly among 4 plates. Spoon chèvre and fresh tomato jam onto the plates. Garnish with flowering mint, mint leaves and squash blossoms. Finish with cracked black pepper and olive oil.
