Pattypan Squash
The Saturday morning farmers’ market at Hope
High School is one of my favorite rituals of Providence in the summertime.
It’s small but lovely (much like Providence itself), with its semi circle
of covered stalls, its colorful sampling of homemade jams and preserves, and of
course, its mascot the llama, who stands to one side of the yarn stall serenely
surveying the scene. Colliding unexpectedly with friends and family is almost
guaranteed, at which point the thing to do is compare lists and baskets of
unquestionably fresh and local produce.
•
Squash has been the true highlight of the
farmers’ market this season. Granted, the early corn was crisp and sweet,
the tomatoes ripe and juicy off the vine, the baby plums a tantalizing balance
of sweet and sour, and the greens so fresh they keep for weeks - but it’s
the squash that have really set my taste buds humming. I don’t remember
the last time summer squash tasted much better than substantive water. The
farmers’ market squash, by contrast, have a deliciously creamy texture,
and are densely packed with that lightly buttery and subtly nutty flavor that is
best described as “squashy.”
•
We’ve eaten quite a bit of squash this summer.
Each week I’ve made a different rendition of zucchinis, straight- or
crook-neck yellow squash, or truly any variety I can find: sautéed in
olive oil; roasted in a mélange of mixed veggies; grilled with some
vinaigrette and herbs; boiled and buttered. It wasn’t until this week,
though, that I brought home pattypan squash.
•
Smallish, short, and squat with festive scalloped
edges, pattypans are sometimes described as flying saucers. They come in lively
shades of yellow, white, and/or green, the darker ones providing the most
nutrients in their tender skin. The baby ones are cute and little enough to pop
in your mouth like fresh crunchy candies, and the big ones can be prepared as
you would any other variety of summer squash. Either way, they are one of the
world’s most healthful foods, providing vitamins A and C (and some
B’s), niacin, thiamine, riboflavin, calcium, potassium and iron, and tons
of fiber and beta carotene.
•
Summer squash was a food staple in the Americas for
some eight thousand years before the first European explorers arrived. The name
was adapted by the settlers from the Algonquin word askutasquash, meaning
“eaten raw.” Pattypans were cultivated widely in those times, and
their popularity soon caught on in Europe. In England they became known as
custard marrow for their delicate fleshy interior, and in France,
patisson
panaché. For a period in the seventeenth
century, pattypan squash was known as cymling because it resembled the English
simnal cake, a fluted cake eaten during Lent.
•
Because of their beguiling shape and stature, I felt
it was a shame to chop the pattypans – they’re just too charming
left intact. I think a lot of people must feel the same way because recipe
after recipe I consulted recommended stuffing them. I tried this technique last
night with a couple of larger ones – about three or four inches across
– slicing off their caps a little way under the stem and gently scooping
out most of the white flesh with a small spoon. I diced a shallot, a clove of
garlic, and the flesh of the squash, and sautéed them all in a bit of
butter and olive oil. I added a few tablespoons of breadcrumbs, salt and
pepper, and at the last minute, some grated parmesan cheese. I stuffed this
mixture back into the pattypan shells, placed the cap back on top, and put them
in the oven for about twenty minutes at 350. You know they’re done when
you can pierce the shells easily with a fork.
•
They were so adorable sitting on the place with their
caps set jauntily askew! They were quite yummy also, but I didn’t pay
them enough attention since my mind was already racing to the countless other
pattypan fillings I want to try: think, for instance, of a roasted corn, black
bean, and jalapeño combination, or a sausage and cornbread mixture, or a
potato gratin en
patisson, or even a sweet custard, paying homage
to its old British name... the possibilities are endless, too bad the season is
not.
Posted: Fri - July 23, 2004 at 04:19 PM