Recently I heard of a man in Pennsylvania who finds amusement in inventing offbeat holidays. He is responsible for “Sneak A Zucchini to Your Neighbor,” that rite of summer observed by countless back-yard gardeners who need a way to unload their glut.
Every August they begin to mysteriously appear on your doorstep or your desk at work. If urban legend is to be trusted, at least one man found them on the passenger seat when he forgot to lock the car.
The tales of woe instigated by these insidious green monster squash are well-documented. But even among neighbors, turnaround is fair play. Plan a sneak attack. Just invite your gardening neighbor to dinner, then serve him or her zucchini in one of the following guises:
Hide it in meatloaf, meatballs, ground meat patties or a veggie burger.
Shred it into coleslaw.
Omelets make a good “coverup.”
A friend (and gung-ho gardener!) chops zucchini with summer squash to make a colorful “confetti” and sprinkles it on pasta, couscous, tabbouleh, rice or hash browns.
Make zuke soup: Combine 4 1/2 cups peeled, sliced and steamed zucchini with 1 cup sour cream, 1 teaspoon toasted and ground cumin seeds and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Puree mixture in a blender and chill. (From “Cold Soups,” by Linda Ziedrich.)
More Top Picks Best Multisport Watches For Men
Chips of any kind are practically irresistible. If you have an electric food dehydrator, slice zucchini, season with garlic juice, ground red pepper and salt. Dry until papery. (From “Parsley, Peppers, Potatoes & Peas,” by Pat Katz.)
Sneak it into any baked good, especially those with chocolate.
Wrap them in a tortilla. Sliced or shredded, of course.
You could probably deep-fry shoe leather and people would find it tasty. Try zucchini instead. And don’t forget the dip!