Zucchini and Summer Squash with Romano Cheese

This is one of those dishes created to use up fresh produce with what I already had laying around the house. I was very inspired to experiment after making three dishes from Fast, Fresh, and Green this week, so I decided to throw something together with what I already had on hand, with just my instincts as a guide. I bought some delicious smoked sea salt last weekend (at TJ Maxx, of all places) and after using it on some pork chops with great success, decided it was worth a try on vegetables. The subtle smoky flavor of the sea salt complemented the salty cheese, pungent cheese and was a nice contrast to the sweet squash; I'm eager to experiment it with some more. This must at least smell pretty good because I got a number of comments on how delicious it smelled when I was heating up leftovers at work today. As with so many dishes, fresh ingredients and a simple preparation are often the best.

Zucchini and Summer Squash with Romano Cheese


2 T. unsalted butter
1.5 lbs. zucchini and/or summer squash, chopped into bite-size pieces
1 medium onion, diced
1 t. smoked sea salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c. freshly grated Romano cheese
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and/or squash, onions, and salt to pan, tossing the vegetables to coat evenly with butter. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 8 to 10 minutes, depending on your taste. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

2. Remove pan from heat and sprinkle cheese over the top. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper.