Baked Zucchini with Cream and Parmesan Bread Crumbs

I like to think of myself as having somewhat of a green thumb. I have raised garden beds, I order seeds from a catalog in January, I meticulously water tiny plant babies in my basement under grow lights until the last frost. Yet despite many, many, many attempts I cannot manage to keep my zucchini plant, a plant that is basically an oversizes prolific weed, alive all summer. Each year we start out well. My seeds take, the plant grows quickly, it produces many beautiful squash blossoms, but sometime after growing the first or second zucchini, the plant shrivels up and dies from the inside. I have tried different locations, a larger space, its own pot- the same result every time. I am a gardening failure. Alas.

Fortunately, my mother-in-law is not a gardening failure and without gardening judgment, she takes pity on me and always provides delicious zucchini to cook with.

For those of you who are not horticulturally deficient and are looking for a recipe to use up your bumper crop of summer squash, this dish is divine. It requires little effort and preparation, but the result is a creamy yet crunchy side which complements any roasted meat or fish, and can even hold its own next to a fresh summer salad. Feel free to use any variety of summer squash.

Be careful not to overcook the zucchini, or it will be more mushy then creamy. You want to remove the dish when the zucchini is tender and the top browned.

Baked Zucchini with Cream and Parmesan Bread Crumbs

Alison Roman, Dining In
Serves 4-6 as a side

1 cup coarse fresh bread crumbs or panko
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves, finely grated or chopped
2 tsp fresh oregano, marjoram or thyme leaves, chopped
4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 pound small zucchini or yellow summer squash, halved lengthwise (or quartered if the squash are large)
1 cup heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, garlic, oregano, and 3 Tbsp of olive oil in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Place the halved squash in a large ovenproof skillet or 2-quart baking dish. Pour the cream and the remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil over, and season with salt and lots of pepper. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture on top of the squash and place the baking dish in the middle rack of the oven.

Bake until the bread crumbs are golden brown, the cream is reduced and starting to caramelize around the edges, and the squash is tender and cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before eating to avoid burning the roof of your mouth!