Like many of you, our garden is producing ample, it not abundant, amounts of zucchini and yellow summer squash. Finding ways to use that can sometimes be a challenge. We certainly eat our fair share of it raw in salads or as “chips” for dips, and we definitely love it fried. However, fried is not an option I choose to serve on more than 1 or 2 occasions during the summer.
The metabolism being what it is, ya’ know.
Yes, I love that proverbial squash casserole chocked full of cheesy goodness, but there again…
While searching through my recipe archives, I came across this one from Food and Wine. It sounded rather strange, but it also sounded intriguing. Simple to make with full-flavored ingredients, it was worth a shot. Plus, I had all of the ingredients on hand. And since I’m “shopping the pantry” these days in preparation for a major kitchen renovation, it was easy to decide to give it a try.
Bagna cauda is essentially an Italian dipping sauce made with a base of anchovies, capers and garlic. It is literally translated as “hot bath,” and is used for dipping vegetables. It often appears in many Italian homes as part of a Christmas Eve buffet.
Success? Absolutely. I know. I know. Anchovies aren’t your favorite taste. You had them once on a salad or pizza and you almost gagged?? Well, you just didn’t have them prepared in the best way, y’all. Anchovies practically melt in this dish giving the sauce just enough salty brine to perk up the flavor of the otherwise flavorless squash. And the briny kick of the “fried” capers only enhances that even further.
After the first 1 or 2 preparations, I did decide to cut back on the amount of olive oil used to baste the squash before grilling. It just seemed to be too much for us, and we were pleased with less. I grilled the squash on the stovetop, but it would also be perfect for your outside grills.
I really hope you’ll not let the somewhat strange ingredients keep you from trying this dish. I think you’ll be delighted that you did.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
- 1 3 1/2-ounce jar of capers, drained and patted dry with paper towels
- 8 anchovy fillets, minced 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 zucchini, sliced lengthwise 1/4 inch thick
- 4 yellow squash, sliced lengthwise 1/4 inch thick
- Salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 Tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley, plus 1 cup parsley leaves
Instructions
- In a medium skillet, heat the 1/2 cup of olive oil.
- Add the capers in an even layer and cook over moderate heat until the capers start to sizzle, about 2 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to moderately low and continue to cook until the capers are crisp, about 4 minutes longer. Transfer the capers to paper towels to drain.
- Stir the anchovies and garlic into the olive oil in the skillet. Simmer over low heat until the garlic starts to turn golden, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat
- Light a grill. Brush the zucchini and squash slices with olive oil (optional) * and season with salt and pepper.
- Grill over high heat until they are just tender and nicely charred, about 2 minutes per side.
- Transfer the zucchini and squash to a platter.
- Alternatively, use a grill pan on the stove top.
- Warm the anchovy dressing and add the lemon zest, lemon juice and minced parsley.
- Drizzle the warm bagna cauda over the grilled zucchini and squash, sprinkle with the fried capers and parsley leaves and serve
