Well alright! Wh’apen? Hey ya! Gabba gabba hey! I’m not sure what you’d call these sayings…catch phrases, maybe? But they’re all the titles to some very good songs, and they’re the subject of this week’s playlist. The rules are quite flexible, but what we’re looking for is some collection of words that stands on it’s own in a conversation or greeting, that’s more than just the title of a song. Here’s the start of the playlist. I’m sure there are a million more, but I’m late for work!

This is a good dish for people who are looking for something different to do with summer squash. It’s not just sliced and sautéed, it’s grated first, and then cooked for a while with scallions and fresh herbs, so that it turns soft and saucy, almost like a jam. Then olives and tomatoes and pine nuts are added for a bit of texture and a kick of flavor. This would be nice on the side like a condiment, almost, but I think it’s best on toasts or crackers or spread on crusty bread.

Here’s that playlist again.

3 or 4 medium-sized zucchini, yellow squash or pattypan squash
2 T olive oil
3 scallions, white parts mostly, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
fresh herbs: sage, savory, thyme, rosemary, oregano
2 T (++) salted butter
3/4 cup chopped plum, grape or cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup pitted chopped castelvetrano olives
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 t balsamic
plenty of freshly ground pepper

Grated smoked gouda or sharp cheddar to serve.

Trim the squash and grate the squash. You should have three or four cups.

Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the scallions, garlic and herbs, and stir and fry for a few minutes until the garlic starts to brown. Add the squash, and stir so that it’s coated with herbs and oil. Turn up the heat to medium-high, and cook until the squash softens, reduces, and starts to brown on the bottom of the pan. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a metal spatula and mix in the browned bits. Add a few tablespoons of butter to loosen the squash, and continue to stir and scrape for about ten minutes. You can add a dash of water or white wine to help deglaze the pan. Add the tomatoes and cook for a few minutes until they start to soften, then add the olives and pine nuts. Cook and stir to heat through. Stir in the balsamic and pepper. Grate some smoked gouda or sharp cheddar over the top, if you like.

Serve with toasts or crackers or crusty bread to spread it on.