Zucchini is a flavorful highlight of summer

Summer’s squash is zucchini, an elongated curved cylinder that’s usually dark green. Lighter green and yellow varieties are also available. All of them have a tender skin and off-white, lightly flavored flesh that is delicious and cooks quickly.

Bright colored, unblemished zucchini that are heavy for their size are best; avoid those that are too large as they tend to be watery.

If you’re using zucchini in baked items such as bread, remove most of its liquid by grating or chopping it, lightly salting and letting it stand in a colander for 30 minutes or so. Then squeeze zucchini by the handful to release its liquid. This will prevent baked goods or custards from getting watery.

Here’s what to do if you’ve got lots of zucchini:

» Make Korean jun: Coat 3/8-inch slices in flour, dip in beaten egg and fry over medium-high heat until golden brown on each side.

» Make a zucchini ribbon salad: Use a vegetable peeler to slice zucchini lengthwise into long, thin pieces, place in a salad bowl, drizzle with olive oil and fresh lemon juice and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

» Sauté diced zucchini with fresh corn off the cob in a little butter for one of summer’s great treats.

» Long 1/4-inch-thick slices of zucchini, brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with salt, grill up nicely. There’s so much to do with this versatile summer squash.

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Hawaii food writer Joan Namkoong offers a weekly tidbit on fresh seasonal products, many of them locally grown.