Drying Summer Squash.....by Carol Deppe

Carol Deppe developed her new Goldini II zucchini to be used both as a regular summer squash and as a dried winter staple. She had noticed that most modern summer squash didn't taste good when she dried them in her dehydrator. She knew, however, that Native American peoples dried slices of squash as a light, portable, winter food. So she started breeding with tastier, larger (less labor in cutting and picking) and more versatile zucchini in mind. Here are her suggestions on how to use her new squash for drying:



"Most zucchinis have a bland flavor when dried. Goldini Zucchini II has a unique spectacular flavor quite different from the raw or cooked squash or anything else. Prime size for drying is about 0.8 lbs to 3 lbs. The dry squash slices or powder can make unique and delicious soups and stews. Slice 3/8” thick for slices that take about 45” to reconstitute boiling water or in a soup or stew. Slice 1/8” thick for vegetable chips to use as dippers. Slicing in a salad shooter gives very thin small slices that reconstitute and cook in about 5” in a soup or stew. For larger squash with more mature seeds, halve and remove seeds before slicing and drying. Dry in a dehydrator at 95 F, an oven on low, in the sun, or on seed racks in the sun. You can grind the dried slices in a coffee grinder to make a powder that is a good base for instant soups and stews. Store dry squash in air-tight containers. See The Resilient Gardener for complete information on making and using dry summer squash slices as a long-storing staple."

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