By Business summer projects ramping up, commercial work, grilled redfish. The summer heat is building the way a roux builds: slowly at first, then all at once, and when it hits, the only response is to keep stirring. Stirring the roux. Stirring the life. Stirring the pot of a family that is four at the table now (sometimes five when Luc comes home, sometimes three when Colette is at a friend\'s), and the stirring adjusts, and the adjustment is the skill, and the skill is: show up with the spoon regardless of how many bowls need filling.
The food this week was good. The company was better. The week was a week — not a milestone, not a crisis, just seven days of waking up and cooking and working and sleeping (six hours most nights now, bless Dr. Tran and the therapy that turned the water off) and being alive in Louisiana in the part of the year where the mosquitoes are back and the AC is straining and the only thing keeping the heat at bay is the cold beer and the knowledge that crawfish season is winding down and deer season is five months away and the calendar is a circle and the circle is the roux and the roux is everything.
The redfish came off the grill the way a good week should end — charred at the edges, steady in the middle, and done right without a lot of drama. What it needed alongside was something that could match that energy: something from the garden, something that smelled like summer when it hit the heat. Pattypan squash has been coming in heavy lately, and when you toss it with garlic and fresh herbs and let it blister in a hot pan, it becomes the kind of side dish that doesn’t ask for attention — it just shows up, like a good week should.
Garlic-Herb Pattypan Squash
Prep Time: 8 min | Cook Time: 12 min | Total Time: 20 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs pattypan squash, halved or quartered depending on size
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Lemon zest, for finishing
Instructions
- Prep the squash. Wash and dry the pattypan squash. Halve smaller ones through the equator; quarter larger ones so all pieces are roughly the same size for even cooking.
- Make the garlic-herb oil. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, minced garlic, thyme, parsley, rosemary, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Stir to combine.
- Toss and coat. Add the squash to a large mixing bowl, pour the garlic-herb oil over it, and toss well until every piece is evenly coated.
- Sear in the pan. Heat a large cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the squash cut-side down in a single layer — work in batches if needed. Cook undisturbed for 4—5 minutes until golden and lightly charred on the cut face.
- Finish cooking. Flip the squash pieces and cook another 4—5 minutes until tender when pierced with a fork but not mushy. The skin should have some color and the flesh should be just yielding.
- Deglaze and finish. Remove from heat, squeeze fresh lemon juice over the squash directly in the pan, and toss once. Taste and adjust salt if needed. Transfer to a serving platter and finish with lemon zest.
- Serve immediately. Best served hot alongside grilled fish, chicken, or anything coming off the grill. Garnish with an extra pinch of fresh parsley if you like.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 115 | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Carbs: 7g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 230mg