Cook’s Illustrated answer to using up squash in a hurry

My squash-heavy gratin before adding the tomatoes

So my tomatoes aren’t exactly flying off the vines, but my garden is producing superior squash.

My favorite recipe for using up reams of squash is summer vegetable gratin courtesy of an old issue of Cook’s Illustrated.  For those of you not familiar with this magazine, Cook’s Illustrated is like that self-righteous, fastidious, type-A co-worker you hate working with because she’s so anal and annoying but who you have to admit is also right most of the time.  A typical recipe in Cook’s Illustrated starts out by saying something completely sanctimonious and ridiculous like:  ”The history of rocky road ice-cream in this country has not been a kind one.”  (Say that sentence using lock-jaw and you get the idea.)

I love CI and hate it in equal measure because it is so smug and tone-deaf, yet completely dead-on in their culinary science. They know what they’re talking about!  They actually show how to make french fries that aren’t soggy or flacid (no small feat, people!); pizza dough that is light yet sturdy; bread that is spongey, not airy; vegetable gratin that is bright and flavorful, not mushy.

Cook’s Illustrated secret for perfecting a vegetable gratin? Pre-salting individual slices of squash and tomatoes to draw out moisture before baking. This way, pool of water doesn’t collect at the bottom of the pan. Is this step time consuming and anal? Heck, yes—it takes a full 45 minutes of “salt-time.” Is it worth it? If you’re as concerned about good food as I am (and have the luxury of working from home where you actually have time to ponder such trivial matters), then definitely.

The finished dish features a lightly-toasted bread crumb and parmesan cheese crust

See? Bright and concentrated, not soggy

Find the recipe here.