August is the time of year when squash is abundant. Zucchini bread, fried zucchini, stuffed patty pan squash, you get the point. August is rumored to be the time of year that Mid-westerners lock their car doors in fear of neighbors abandoning loads of excess squash in their drivers seat. The dread of discovering a plastic shopping bag hanging on your door knob knowing that its contents are sure to be zucchini or squash. To help you contend with that glut of squash here is grilled green chile summer squash.
Here in the southwest, if it holds still long enough we will put green chile on it. If you don’t have access to fresh green chile, there are several good canned green chile brands out there. If you can’t find green chile in your area, grilled jalapenos work well or you can cut them up whole and throw them in this salad for a bit of crunch.
First, slice up the summer squash (I used zucchini and patty pans), and sweet onions. Toss the two together in a bowl with salt , pepper, and olive oil. Place the mix in a grill pan.
Next grill the squash and onions until tender and caramelized. Depending on your grill this will take about 20 minutes.
While the squash and onions are cooking, combine three diced grilled green chiles, sliced garden fresh tomatoes, fresh corn (I used some I had pressured cooked and canned earlier in the season), and chopped cilantro into a bowl. Grate about 1/2 cup of Monterrey jack cheese and keep the cheese separate until ready to serve.
Combine the grilled squash and onions with the green chiles, tomatoes, corn, and cilantro. Toss gently and sprinkle with cheese. The heat from the grilled summer squash will nicely melt the cheese. You can serve grilled green chile summer squash as a side dish or as a main course. Enjoy!
