In case you missed it, National Eat Your Vegetables Day was celebrated earlier this week.
It's a day dedicated to encouraging more people to enjoy the nutrition and flavor of their favorite vegetables, and even the ones they're unfamiliar with.
We thought it fitting to share a mouthwatering vegetable recipe that even the most carnivorous among us will likely enjoy, as a belated celebration to the vegetable holiday.
Enter Bon Appetit’s recipe for sweet and spicy grilled (and glazed) squash, ready to be used now, at the official start to summer, till the seasons’ end.
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While summer squash (and zucchini) have been trending for the last couple of years, namely due to their ability to turn conventionally carb-rich foods into lower-carb options (noodles and fries, for example), not everyone finds it to be the most delicious way to consume the vegetable.
But this recipe, which comes together in just about 20 minutes, might be one of the more delicious ways to consume the seasonal gourd.
The key to ensuring that the squash will not become soggy on the grill (or grill skillet), according to Bon Appetit, is to extract as much water from the vegetable prior to the marinade as possible. This is completed by letting the cut squash sit over a bowl for about 10 minutes with some salt on it to draw out the moisture.
Then, it’s marinade time. Combine honey, rice vinegar, soy sauce and hot chili paste in a saucepan and thicken over medium heat until it’s “just shy of syrupy,” Bon Appetit explains.
Toss the sliced squash in oil and throw them on the grill, brushing each piece with the marinade all the while for a total of six to eight minutes. Top with fresh squeezed lime juice, shallot, cilantro and salt.
And there you have a vegetable dish that even the pickiest of eaters might find palatable.
And Bon Appetit has many more summer recipes for you to try.