Nicholas’ Summer Squash with Peppermint

Sometimes at the farmers’ market, people from Persia talk about the cuisine of their childhoods, where fruits, vegetables and a plate of fresh herbs were standard parts of every meal. A gift of seeds, or plants sometimes turn up, in hopes that Full Belly (with it’s similar climate) can produce the ingredients that they are missing in their cooking experiments.

The peppermint in my house garden was one of these gifts, and when I bring it to the market and see anyone who I know is from Iran, or regions north of the Persian Gulf, I make sure to give them a bunch, because they always recognize it as their own. The peppermint is quite mild, and very special. It is what we used in the following recipe, but at twice the rate that this recipe suggests because we know that most of you will be using the more common, stronger variety of peppermint.

The following recipe calls for julienned onions. Here’s a nice description of how to julienne an onion: www.hungrycravings.com/2008/09/cutting-onions-slice-versus-julienne.html

Jenna Muller

One half of a yellow onion, julienned and then halved 
One pound (in your box) summer squash cut in angular chunks 
Kosher salt – 1/2 teaspoon
A few springs of peppermint, chopped fine to make 2 tablespoon 
Olive oil

Heat the oil in a sauté pan and add the onions to sizzle. Season with a pinch of salt. Turn down to quarter heat and cook the onions until soft. Add the squash and toss it in the pan. Add another healthy pinch of salt. Cook the squash until JUST tender (not soft).  Turn off the heat.  Add the mint. Toss, toss and serve!