One of my all time favorite (and diet-busting) things to do with summer squash is to make a souffle’. The OK Cafe in Atlanta (and I’ve learned, so does Connie’s Kitchen in Leland, MS) both make to-die for versions. The first one I ever had was in Atlanta, so I’d searched around for the OK Cafe’s recipe for awhile, and came across the one they actually use every day for their customers. I mean, 66 pounds of squash and 2 quarts of green onions is a little bit more than I usually buy at the farmer’s market, so I (I mean, boone) did a little math and worked out the proportions for our family. I’ve made this so many times now and I’ve tested it out with a little less mayo or a little more cheese and this is the version that tastes THE MOST like what I remember from the ATL. It’s best served with creamed corn, speckled lima beans, fresh tomatoes, or turnip greens… or really, whatever your favorite combination for your vegetable plate!
Summer Squash Souffle’ from the OK Cafe
Serves 4-6
What you need:
2-3 lbs of squash, cut into half rounds about 1/2″ thick
1 1/2 cup of grated cheddar cheese
1 cup hellman’s mayonnaise (y’all know I don’t mess around with other kinds of mayo. also, the recipe actually calls for 2 cups, but I think this is WAY too much)
1/4 cup green onions
1 stick of butter
salt and pepper
1 egg
1 cup Crushed ritz crackers or bread crumbs for topping
What to do:
First, steam the squash until it’s soft and then mash with a potato masher so that you don’t have chunks of squash. Cut the onions and made your breadcrumbs or crush the ritz crackers while you wait to maximize your time.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Melt the butter and sautee’ the green onions in the butter until limp. use a fork or whisk to whip up the raw egg. Once the squash is steamed and mashed and has cooled entirely (the fridge speeds up the process!), mix in the onions with the butter, the egg, the mayonnaise, the cheese and then salt and pepper it to taste.
Pour into a 9″x11″ pyrex dish, top with the bread crumbs or ritz crackers, and bake for about 30-45 minutes or until bubbly. Serve it with your favorite other vegetable sides and savor!
I may or may not have eaten this for 3 meals in the span of 5 days… so, so, so good…but better eaten as a special summer treat once or twice a year for staying on my swimsuit diet!
