Confit, rillettes, oil poached. Whatever you want to call it I’ve been into it lately. Tuna one week. Halibut the next. It’s a simple way to prepare a luxurious piece of fish and it takes almost no attention. Pork and duck get the same treatment quite often because they too become impossibly elegant when submerged in fat and slowly cooked. But what about vegetables. Well, spread some Garlic Confit on bread. I guarantee it will end your addiction to butter. Yeah, it’s that sweet and silky. So, here it is the end of summer and I’ve decided to give Summer Squash Confit a try.
We’ve all heard stories about that neglected little summer squash nestled into the back of the garden. It’s green and well-formed and you plan to pick it real soon and use in a stir-fry. Really you do. But that will have to wait until later – a little binge TV seems a better way to pass a hot September afternoon. I know you know where this story is going so I won’t bother to finish, but it ends with a monster zucchini as big as your (fill in the blank).
Summer Squash Confit
Well, I didn’t grow any summer squash this year but I did pick up an oversized specimen or two at the farmers market. They sell the monsters at a terrific price. Probably because they’re less delicate in both taste and texture. I suppose this turns most customers away. But it doesn’t have to. Packed with herbs and given the confit treatment, Summer Squash Confit is a great way to bring a little silky sensuality to one of the least sexy summer vegetables out there. Of course, technically speaking confit is a noun, not a verb. The food geeks may scold me for calling confit a method and attaching it to a vegetable, but that just makes me like Summer Squash Confit all the more. GREG
Strain and save the poaching oil to make salad dressing.
Ingredients
- 2 pound summer squash (or zucchini, or a mix of both, trimmed)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (plus more for seasoning)
- 2–3 sprigs fresh marjoram plus more to garnish
- 2–3 sprigs fresh oregano
- 2–3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 cup olive oil (or perhaps more, as needed)
- toasted baguette slices (for serving)
Directions
Heat the oven to 300°. On the large holes of a box grater, grate the squash and transfer to a large colander set in the sink. Toss the squash with the 1 teaspoon of salt until evenly combined and then let the squash stand at least 20 minutes and up to 2 hours.
Using your hands, squeeze the squash to remove as much liquid as possible and spread it out in an even layer in a 9‑by-13-inch baking dish. Tuck all the herb sprigs into the squash and then pour the olive oil over the squash to submerge.
Bake until the squash is very tender and lightly browned at the edges, about 45 minutes. Let cool, remove herb stems and season with salt. Use a slotted spoon to serve the confit on toast slices and garnish with fresh marjoram to serve.
Such a filler, Looking super delicious and super awesome. I am super sure this Summer Squash Confit tastes soo Good and hell awesome. I will try this recipe asap. Thanks for sharing this recipe. Much love and regards xoxo.
Marjoram is so rarely used here. Love this! Looks delicious.
I am a huge fan of Zucchini… and what a great use for zucchini or summer herbed squash. It’s looking really yumm actually, & the snaps you took are really impressive. Will try to make this recipe at my home asap. I can feel the aroma of this recipe. xoxo. Looking forward to more recipes like this. Best Wishes and Regards.
That initial picture is so beautiful, I can hardly take my eyes from it.
Oh you are so clever…great idea!
I have several monsters taking up real estate in my fridge. I am so over zucchini bread and this sounds fabulous!
What a great use for zucchini or summer squash — someone gave us one this year that was 19 inches long and about 5 inches in diameter. Tough as nails. Wish I had thought of this! Now that I know it, I think this would also be a great topper for pasta, risotto, corn pancakes… I could go on.
…makes me like Summer Squash Confit all the more, too! hahahah! I learn so much when I stop by Sippity Sup! Thanks for this gorgeous recipe!
Just when I think I’ve seen it all confit, you go and invent a new and even more lux version. I cannot imagine how luscious Summer Squash Confit tastes, so creamy! I must admit, my SIL totally turned me off those ginormous zucchini about a million years ago when she grew the monsters herself. Dry zucchini bread and muffins were her choice of torture, bleh! It took me some time to even try the smaller specimens which I now adore, particularly raw! This confit takes an ordinary thing and makes it extraordinary!
Great tip about saving poaching oil for dressings. Looking forward to trying this.