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August is one of those months we always look forward to. It’s the end of summer and we can still enjoy all those light summer flavours, but autumn is beginning to creep in and we know that we’re on the way to the best food time of the whole year.
In the heat of summer we’re focusing on fresh summer fruit and veg, fish and salads. August fruit, like berries and tree fruit, have a more tart flavour profile, creating the perfect bridge towards heavier autumn food like game and tubers.
August Fruit
August is the month of fruit and it is the time most fruit trees bear their fruit, ripe for picking. Among the many types of fruit you can find are blood oranges, custard apples, Fuji apples, grapefruit, kiwifruit, lemons, limes, mandarins, pineapple, rhubarb and strawberries. All of them offer wonderful dessert options, combined with pastry, custards and creams, or indeed can be integrated into your savoury dishes to provide a tart edge to your meats.
Yellow squash
Yellow squash, also known as straightneck squash, is very similar to zucchini or courgette. The main difference is the shape, but also the colour is an added benefit of the yellow squash. Yellow squash is good for nutrition as it is high in vitamins A, B6, and C, folate, magnesium, fibre, riboflavin, phosphorus, and potassium. It's excellent for roasting if cut into strips, drizzled with olive oil, seasoned and roasted in the oven on high heat.
CLICK HERE FOR DELICIOUS SUMMER SQUASH RECIPES
Crookneck squash
Also yellow in colour, the yellow crookneck squash is a little on the tougher side of the summer squash varieties, so they need a longer cooking time. The flavour can also be quite bland, so it's a good idea to boost it with plenty of spices, garlic and chilli.
Make a delicious yellow squash purée
Roasted yellow squash
Pan-roasted yellow squash is a wonderfully easy and delicious seasonal dish. The flavour is mild enough to match with almost anything you can think to pair it with. It’s easy to cook too, as demonstrated in the below video, and this method can be used for all types of yellow squash. By scoring the squash you can season with salt, getting it right into the vegetable. Cooking in a pan in olive oil will allow for lovely caramelisation before roasting in the oven, and will soften the squash and cook it through. Serve with crostini, with citrus flavours, mint, salsa verde, or pretty much anything you want.
Baked yellow squash
Here’s a simple, easy recipe for baked yellow squash parmesan spears. For the ultimate taste of August, we recommend adding a coating of grated parmesan cheese, thyme, oregano, salt and garlic powder to your yellow squash before baking in the oven for 25 – 18 minutes.
Tromboncino squash
Tromboncino, also known as zucchetta, is a type of squash that is actually more similar to a winter squash, but fruits in august, and therefore is used as a summer squash. The tromboncino squash can grow up to three feet in length and can be cooked like all other yellow squash. It is beloved in Italy so there are plenty of recipes for zuchetta with pasta.
Cousa squash
Cousa squash, otherwise known as kusa squash, is a Middle Eastern variety (kusa is Arabic for zucchini). The vegetable is plump and hollowed out with a zucchini core, so they are great for stuffing with lamb, garlic, lemon juice, dried mint and rice, and baked in the oven for a delicious Lebanese delicacy (kusa mahshi).
