How to Make Incredible Fried Squash

Yes they do.

;-)

And it's delicious!

Let's face it -- when the squash starts coming in from your garden, you're suddenly loaded with squash, both yellow (crookneck) and zucchini squash.

If you've never had fried squash, why not try something different? They're gorgeous on the plate, and the taste is incredible.

Here's the easy way to do it.

The quantities for the following ingredients are explained below. What's great about this recipe is that you can make fried squash for one, or for a dozen people. The recipe and approach are all the same.

Squash -- you can use yellow squash, or zucchini, or a combination of both

flour

cornmeal (yellow or white -- I prefer yellow)

canola oil

salt

I love this recipe! Please read it all the way through before you start.

Once you read the recipe all the way through, you'll see why I didn't include the amounts of squash, or amounts for flour and cornmeal, etc.

Using a sharp knife, cut off the stem ends, then slice squash VERY THINLY -- I slice them longways, rather than into rounds, because I think it looks better on the serving platter. I slice them about 1/8 inch thick. Slicing them thinly guarantees that they'll turn out crisp on the outside, which is what makes this dish so delicious.

Lay the squash on a cookie sheet lined with foil, and sprinkle both sides with salt.

Let them sit for about half an hour. The salt will cause moisture to come out of the squash -- this natural moisture will make the flour/cornmeal adhere to the slices for beautiful frying. Therefore, don't wipe off the liquid.

Meanwhile, into a paper sack, or a gallon-sized freezer bag pour equal amounts of flour and cornmeal, and mix.

When I'm going to fry about 8 squash I use 3/4 cup of flour and 3/4 cup of cornmeal. If you're going to fry, say, about 4 squash, then use about 1/3 cup of each, or if you're going to fry a dozen squash, you'll probably want to use 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of cornmeal. You'll always use equal amounts of each.

Pour enough oil in your skillet to come up about a half inch. How much is that? Depends on the size of your skillet... and, of course, how many squash you plan to fry. If you plan to fry a lot of squash you'll want to use your largest skillet so you can get more fried in a shorter amount of time.

Turn your stove to Medium-High (for electric) and to High for gas stoves, and let the oil become really hot. You'll know it's the right temperature when the top begins to shimmer but BEFORE it starts to smoke. If you have a thermometer, you'll want to heat your oil until it's 360 degrees. Having really hot oil means your squash will come out crisp and beautiful, and it prevents them from becoming soaked with oil.

Once the oil reaches the right temperature, lower your heat to Medium.

Put a couple slices of the squash into your bag and shake them in the flour/cornmeal mixture, then place them carefully into the hot oil. After about 3 minutes, turn the slices over and fry on the other side. Continue to fry them until they've turned golden brown. Remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon and place onto a platter you've lined with paper towels.

Fried squash have a wonderful flavor, and if you follow the instructions above, they won't be greasy at all. Having hot oil (and salting beforehand to extrude moisture) will help you to create gorgeous and tasty fried squash.

Enjoy!