Yellow Summer Squash Casserole

I love almost all squash.  Pumpkin and butternut and always on my shopping list in the fall and winter.  And they get replaced with zucchini and yellow squash in spring and summer.  Though not as sweet as their fall cousins, their flavor is mild and easy to incorporate into lots of dishes.  But I also love them enough to want to make them the star sometimes.

The tricky part about working with these warm weather relations is that they have a high water content.  I've tried my hand at baking them into gratins and casseroles before and was disappointed with the wet texture.  But then I realized that I wasn't giving them enough of a binder.  Normally I leave the breadcrumbs on top for a crunchy coating but this time, half went into the casserole itself as a binder.  Happily, that did the trick and the result was a wonderful vegetable side dish that held it's own on the plate.  As for the flavor - what's not to like about adding in sauteed onions and melted cheese?  Enjoy!








Ingredients
2 Yellow squash/yellow zucchini, peeled and sliced
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Onion, peeled and diced
2 Cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 Egg
1/2 Cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 Cup milk
1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese (Gruyere would work nicely, too)
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Salt & pepper to taste

Add the olive oil and onions to a large skillet and saute on medium heat for a few minutes until the onions have softened.  Add the garlic and cook for another minute.  Stir in the squash and continue cooking for about 5 to 7 minutes until the squash has softened slightly.  It doesn't need to be cooked all the way through.  Season to taste and allow to cool slightly.

In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs and shredded cheese.  In a separate bowl, beat together the egg and milk and mix in half the crumb/cheese mixture.  Add the cooked squash and onion to the egg mixture and transfer to a casserole dish.  Top with the remaining crumb/cheese mixture and pour on the melted butter.  Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 20 - 30 minutes or until the top is a light golden brown.  Makes approximately 4 servings.