In Season

Avocado Squash

By Robin Raisfeld & Rob Patronite
Published Aug 6, 2006

With zucchini and its globular, elongated, and crookneck ilk flooding the market, there’s no such thing as too many summer-squash recipes. Here, Tía Pol chef Alex Raij stuffs and bakes an obscure Korean variety she buys from Yuno’s Farm’s Nevia No, who, for the benefit of her American clients, calls the vegetable avocado squash—both for its familiar shape and its nutty, buttery richness.

(Photo: Kang Kim. Illustration by John Burgoyne.)

Alex Raij’s Stuffed Avocado Squash
5 avocado squash (choose ones that are small and heavy for their size)
Olive oil
Salt
2 medium leeks, cleaned and finely chopped
1 small yellow onion, minced
2 tablespoons fresh marjoram leaves, roughly chopped
1 bunch scallions, washed, trimmed, and finely sliced
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 475. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Trim a 3/4-inch slice off the end of three of the squashes by cutting straight down, and reserve the trim. Slice trimmed squash in half straight through their centers, and place them on the cookie sheet face up. (1) Drizzle generously with olive oil and season with salt. Bake approximately 25 to 35 minutes, until tender but not collapsing. Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes, then scoop out centers, leaving a border of between 1/4 and 1/2 inch around the edges. Reserve pulp. Chop remaining two squash in chunks, and pulse 6 to 8 times in a food processor with the reserved ends, until the pieces are fine and uniform. In large sauté pan, heat 4 tablespoons olive oil. Over low heat, sweat the leeks and onion with salt to taste until translucent. Add marjoram and squash bits, and adjust seasoning. Cook until very tender and sweet. Add scallion, and (2) fold in reserved pulp. Adjust seasoning. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, and let cool 5 minutes. Fold in chopped egg and panko without overmixing. (3) Loosely mound the stuffing in the squash cups to an inch over the top. (The preceding steps can be done a day ahead and the squash refrigerated.) To serve, reheat in oven until golden and hot throughout.