MISSING ZUCCHINI

I used to chuckle at jokes about zucchini winding up on neighbors’ doorsteps in the middle of the night. And about zucchini baseball bats. Then a terrible thing happened.

Zucchini disappeared from my garden. It simply wouldn’t grow. The fickle plants collapsed and died, or produced a few flowers but no squash. This happened two years in a row. Instead of being overwhelmed by too much, I had none. And that was bad. I had to buy zucchini, which was humiliating.

This year, the zucchini is back, without explanation or apology. A single plant is producing freely. And I am pulling out the old zucchini recipes. Not even zucchini from the farmers market, where I had bought mine for the last two years, can rival zucchini cooked within seconds of picking.

I’ll let a few grow big enough for stuffing. They’re for the steamed stuffed zucchini that I learned to make ages ago in a cooking class at the China House in Pasadena. Run by people from Shanghai, that restaurant no longer exists. Too bad, because the food was wonderful. The squash is stuffed whole with pork and vegetables, then steamed and sliced. Extra stuffing is shaped into meatballs and steamed alongside, then combined with a sauce. Sounds complicated, but it wasn’t too hard for a beginner at Chinese cooking.

The easiest and fastest way to cook zucchini is in the microwave. Cut the squash in half lengthwise, season it with a little olive oil, salt, freshly ground pepper, some herbs and perhaps Parmesan cheese, then microwave it for 3 minutes. That’s for one squash; more may take longer. As soon as the zucchini can be pierced with a paring knife, it is done. The same thing in the regular oven takes longer, and the zucchini dries out.

Just-picked young zucchini is so sweet and fresh it shouldn’t be overwhelmed with seasoning. I like it sliced paper thin, then quickly sauteed with a small amount of garlic and onion, just enough to complement the flavor.

Most backyard growers raise tomatoes too. Those are needed for a zucchini frittata and for c alabacitas con queso , a Mexican-style dish of squash, tomatoes and corn topped with cheese. ( Calabacitas means little squash--zucchini--as opposed to calabaza , which is a big squash, such as pumpkin.)

An excellent recipe for a zucchini gratin appeared in a Junior League of Pasadena Cookbook called “Dining by Design.” (Published a couple of years ago, the same book has recipes for a glazed lemon zucchini bread with pecans, a corn and zucchini quesadilla, couscous with zucchini and a vegetable chili that contains zucchini, so it’s a good reference work for squash growers.)

When I tried the gratin out on guests, they all wanted the recipe. Once, I used the pale striped zucchini instead of the dark green-skinned variety, but zucchini varieties apparently aren’t interchangeable and the dish didn’t turn out well. In other words, there’s no substitute for plain, old-fashioned backyard zucchini.

Shanghai Stuffed Zucchini

Active Work Time: 35 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 1 hour

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The zucchini for this recipe must be really large, 21/2 inches in diameter or more, to allow for stuffing. Dried shrimp are sold at Asian markets.

1 small carrot

4 whole water chestnuts

8 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked until softened

20 dried shrimp, soaked in hot water, optional

3/4 pound lean ground pork

Sugar

Salt

White pepper

1 tablespoon sesame oil, divided

2 teaspoons cornstarch, divided

1 (2 1/2-pound) or 2 (1 1/4-pound) zucchini

4 bok choy leaves

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1 (2-inch) piece ginger root, finely chopped

2 green onions, white parts only, finely chopped

Water

1 teaspoon Chinese wine or dry Sherry

1 tablespoon soy sauce

Mince the carrot, water chestnuts and mushrooms very fine; they must be small for the stuffing. Chop the soaked shrimp, if using, very fine.

Combine the carrot, water chestnuts, mushrooms, shrimp and pork. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, a dash of white pepper, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and 1 teaspoon of cornstarch. Mix well.

Cut off each end of the zucchini. Peel, using a potato peeler. Hollow out the center carefully, using a sharp thin knife or melon baller. Rinse the center cavities. Stuff as much of the pork mixture into the zucchini as possible. Form any remaining filling into marble-sized meatballs. Place the stuffed zucchini and the meatballs on a heatproof platter and set them on a rack in a steamer over simmering water. You can also set the rack over a roaster or pot large enough to hold the rack. Cover and steam until the squash is tender and the pork is cooked, 20 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the bok choy leaves crosswise into 2-inch pieces, then slice vertically, but not too fine. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a wok over high heat. Add a little of the ginger and green onions and all the bok choy, 2 tablespoons of water, the wine, 1/3 teaspoon of sugar and a dash of salt. Cover and cook 1 minute, then add 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil. Arrange this mixture on a large serving platter, leaving a clear space in the center for the zucchini.

Place the zucchini on the platter, reserving any liquid accumulated during steaming, and cut the zucchini crosswise into 1-inch slices. Set the meatballs aside.

Add the cooking liquid to the empty wok. Add 1/2 cup water, the remaining ginger and green onions, the soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon sugar and a dash of pepper. Add the meatballs. Mix 1 teaspoon of cornstarch with 2 teaspoons of water, add to the wok and mix gently. Cook over medium-high heat until thickened, about 2 minutes. Pour the meatballs and their sauce over the zucchini.

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4 servings. Each serving: 368 calories; 803 mg sodium; 67 mg cholesterol; 23 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 20 grams carbohydrates; 21 grams protein; 5.34 grams fiber.

Simple Sauteed Zucchini

Active Work Time: 10 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 20 minutes * Vegetarian

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3 zucchini

1 large clove garlic

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

1 tablespoon butter

1 1/2 teaspoons oil

1/4 cup very finely chopped onion

Freshly ground pepper, optional

Cut the ends off the zucchini. If the zucchini are small in diameter, leave them whole. If large, cut them in half lengthwise. Slice the zucchini paper-thin, using the slicing blade of a grater or a mandoline.

Mash the garlic in the salt until dissolved to a paste.

Heat the butter and oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.Add the garlic and onion and cook until the onion is tender, 5 minutes. Add the zucchini slices and cook until tender, stirring as needed to cook evenly, 6 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle with pepper, if desired.

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4 servings. Each serving: 59 calories; 622 mg sodium; 8 mg cholesterol; 5 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 4 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 1.40 grams fiber.

Zucchini Frittata

Active Work Time: 20 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 45 minutes * Vegetarian

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2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/3 cup minced green bell pepper

1 small zucchini, quartered lengthwise then sliced crosswise

1 tomato, chopped

6 eggs

1 cup milk

1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Generous dash white pepper

Heat the olive oil in a 9-or 10-inch nonstick, ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and bell pepper and cook until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add the zucchini and tomato and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.

Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Beat in the milk and bread crumbs. Stir in the oregano, salt and pepper. Pour this over the vegetable mixture in the skillet and stir to distribute the vegetables evenly. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until the eggs are completely set, about 20 to 25 minutes. Place under the broiler until the top is browned, 2 to 3 minutes. (The frittata can also be served without browning.) Cut into wedges to serve.

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4 to 6 servings. Each of 6 servings: 173 calories; 516 mg sodium; 212 mg cholesterol; 11 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 10 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams protein; 1.20 grams fiber.

Zucchini With Cheese (Calabacitas con Queso)

Active Work Time: 20 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 40 minutes * Vegetarian

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If the zucchini are too big around, cut them in half lengthwise, then slice crosswise.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 small serrano chile, halved lengthwise, then sliced crosswise

1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 pound tomatoes, chopped

1 pound zucchini, sliced

Kernels from 1 ear corn (3/4 to 1 cup)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup shredded combined Jack and Cheddar cheese

Heat the oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, chile and cumin seeds and cook until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the zucchini, corn, oregano and salt and cook, uncovered, until the zucchini is tender, stirring as needed, 10 to 12 minutes. Top evenly with the cheese and cook until the cheese is almost melted.

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4 servings. Each serving: 252 calories; 848 mg sodium; 29 mg cholesterol; 17 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 16 grams carbohydrates; 11 grams protein; 3.56 grams fiber.

Zucchini Gratin With Goat Cheese

Active Work Time: 20 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 1 hour * Vegetarian

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From “Designing by Design,” published in 1999 by the Junior League of Pasadena.

2 pounds zucchini, coarsely shredded

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 cup chopped parsley

2 tablespoons chopped basil

2 eggs, beaten

2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

Nonstick cooking spray

2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 1-quart shallow baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Place the zucchini in a bowl, add salt and pepper to taste and mix gently. Let stand for 5 minutes. Drain the zucchini of any water that may have collected in the bottom of the bowl.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet. Add the zucchini and cook 10 minutes until all the moisture has evaporated. Add the garlic and cook 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley and basil and remove from heat.

Beat the eggs and goat cheese together in a large bowl. Stir in the cooked zucchini. Spoon into the baking dish. Top with the bread crumbs and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Bake until browned, 20 to 30 minutes.

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4 to 6 servings. Each serving: 165 calories; 209 mg sodium; 114 mg cholesterol; 14 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 4 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams protein; 0.30 gram fiber.

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Kitchen towel, bowl and napkin from Windows, Pasadena.