In the Bay Area, October is a wonderful time where you alternate between hot summer days and chilly Autumn ones, back to back. This makes it a great time to do a hearty hot stew one night and a bright cool salad the next. I made this dish as a single portion for lunch, so I only used one squash and one tomato. To make it for more, just increase the number in equal measure. Or don’t! I liked the warm and cold ingredients balanced, but it would be just as good with either the main ingredients taking a leading role, while being supported by the other. So if you have a surplus of either as summer comes to a close feel free to load up!
The vinaigrette portion makes roughly half a cup, which I used about half on for what I made. The reminder will store well in the fridge. If you’re making a large batch you may need to double the dressing recipe, just adjust as needed.
Ingredients
- Summer squash
- Tomato (chopped bite sized)
- Shallot (minced)
- Lime
- Basil (torn)
- Olive oil
- Red wine vinegar
- Salt + pepper
Method
- Set oven to broil
- Quarter the summer squash and chop into bite sized chunks. We’re broiling on one side only, so if you prefer a bit of bite to your squash keep them on the thicker side.
- Toss the squash with olive oil, salt and pepper, enough to lightly coat and spread into a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Pop them in the oven and set a timer to check in about 8 minutes. You’re going for a solid roast, but not burned. I pulled mine out around 12 minutes.
- When it’s done, set it aside to cool a bit before mixing.
- While the squash roasts prepare the vinaigrette:
- Toss the shallot in a bowl and zest the limes over the top. You’re shooting for about a tablespoon of zest. My lime tree makes pretty small limes so it took me 4 limes to get there.
- Juice the limes into the bowl
- Add salt and fresh pepper then give it a stir, then splash in some red wine vinegar
- Start adding in olive oil, stirring as you go, to keep it mixed- about 1/4 cup.
- Taste! If it’s too bright for your liking, add in more oil to mellow it out. Adjust salt and pepper as you like as well.
- When everything’s ready add the tomato and squash to a bowl and toss gently with dressing. You want things well covered, but not so much that it leaves a pool of dressing at the bottom of the bowl.
- Add basil and toss, again gently, you want to keep the squash as unmushed as possible.
- Dig in.