Food Recipes Side Dishes Vegetable Side Dishes Blistered Summer Squash Salad 4.3 (4) 4 Reviews Say goodbye to boring summer squash by charring it in a fiery skillet and tossing it with avocado-tomatillo sauce and lots of salty Cotija cheese. By Anna Theoktisto Anna Theoktisto Anna Theoktisto is a recipe tester and developer. Anna has been working in Dotdash Meredith test kitchens since 2017, and her recipes and writing have appeared in over 10 nationally distributed print publications, as well as on various digital platforms. When not in the kitchen, Anna enjoys hiking with her son, husband, and two dogs, and fostering puppies for a local animal rescue group. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on June 13, 2024 Tested by Tricia Manzanero Stuedeman Tested by Tricia Manzanero Stuedeman Tricia is a recipe developer and tester for Dotdash Meredith with a focus on baking and pastry as well as a passion for all things food-related. She has developed over 1,200 recipes, which have appeared both in magazines, online, and in cookbooks alike. She is a former Baking and Pastry Editor with experience in food styling, video production, and crafting culinary curriculum for more than a dozen culinary and lifestyle brands. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Active Time: 55 mins Total Time: 45 mins Servings: 4 Inspired by Zuni Café in San Francisco, this vibrant salad not only celebrates the season’s bounty of squash, but it’s also a versatile side dish for your next summer cookout. This dish features zucchini and yellow squash coins cooked in a hot cast-iron skillet until charred and finished with a smoky tomatillo sauce and a sprinkling of Cotija cheese. It’s smoky, bright, buttery, and briny all at once. It’s a salad that feels decadent but comes together quickly. Just be sure to take the time to cool the blistered squash on a wire rack to prevent it from steaming and becoming mushy. Tomatillos tend to have a watery texture on their own, but combining them with avocado solves the problem. Blending an avocado into the tomatillo sauce helps emulsify it, resulting in a creamy consistency that still lets the tartness of the tomatillos shine. Frequently Asked Questions Are you supposed to peel summer squash before cooking? No, the skin of summer squash — be it zucchini or yellow squash — is totally edible. It’s so thin and tender, you’ll hardly notice it when cooked. What is Cotija cheese? Cotija cheese is aged Mexican cheese made from cow’s milk. It’s firm in texture and salty and tangy in flavor. It falls somewhere between feta and Parmesan in terms of consistency and can be crumbled or grated depending how long it’s been aged for — the longer it’s aged, the more firm and grate-friendly it is. Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Your cast iron skillet needs to be smoking hot in order to char the vegetables and hard sear the squash. Don’t be afraid of heat! Make ahead The tomatillo sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one day. Ingredients 1 medium poblano chile 1 large unpeeled garlic clove 2 scallions, trimmed and halved crosswise 3 tomatillos (about 6 ounces), husks removed, quartered 1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro, plus leaves for garnish 1 tablespoon lime juice 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided 1 firm-ripe avocado 3 yellow squash, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 3 cups) 3 zucchini, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 3 cups) 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 2 tablespoons canola oil, plus more if needed Crumbled Cotija cheese, for garnish Directions Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high. Add poblano and garlic; cook, turning occasionally, until poblano is charred and garlic is softened, about 14 minutes. Add scallions; cook, turning occasionally, until charred in spots, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Transfer poblano to a small bowl, and cover tightly with plastic wrap; let stand 5 minutes. Peel poblano; discard skin, stem, and seeds. Peel garlic. Combine poblano, garlic, scallions, tomatillos, cilantro, lime juice, and 1 teaspoon salt in a blender. Peel and pit avocado; add a quarter of the avocado to blender. (Reserve remaining avocado for serving.) Process until just smooth, about 20 seconds. Toss together yellow squash, zucchini, black pepper, and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl. Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over high. Working in batches, arrange squash mixture in a single layer in skillet; cook, undisturbed, until well browned on one side, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip; cook until slightly blistered on the other side, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer cooked squash mixture to a wire rack. Repeat process with remaining squash mixture, adding additional oil if needed. Thinly slice remaining avocado, and arrange slices on a serving plate with cooked squash mixture. Drizzle with 1/3 cup tomatillo sauce. Garnish with cilantro and Cotija. Serve with remaining tomatillo sauce on the side. Originally appeared in Food & Wine magazine, June 2024 Rate It Print