Zucchini Spread

I ended up with a little over three pounds of zucchini and did not feel like making zucchini bread.  It wouldn't have used up all of it anyway.  Then I remembered Marisa's recipe from last year for a thick zucchini spread and figured it would work for the tea party.

I am not a fan of zucchini.  Everybody hates some kind of veggie.  I'm the weird kid who liked broccoli and lima beans.  This recipe has enough other stuff going on that I can ignore what the base tastes like.  The recipe would probably work just as well with yellow or Italian squash.

*2 pounds zucchini
1 Tb butter
2 Tb olive oil
*3 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste

1.  Cut the unpeeled zucchini into 1/2" cubes.  Peel and smash the garlic slightly, then chop it coarsely.

2.  In a large saucepan, melt the butter and oil together.  Add the cubed zucchini and garlic, and cook over medium until the cubes start to wilt, about 20 minutes.  Stir every five minutes or so.  The squash will start to give off water and start to look like soup.

3.  Add the thyme and a little salt and pepper, but not as much as you plan to add by the end.  Turn down heat to low and continue to cook until water has mostly boiled off and you're left with a spreadable, chunky zucchini mush.  Make sure you stir at least every five minutes.  If you start to notice browning, either stir more often or turn down the heat.

4.  Taste spread.  If you plan to serve it hot, this is what it will taste like.  If it's going to be cool or room temperature, that will dull the salt and pepper flavors and you may need to add more.

5.  This spread/dip has multiple uses.  Aside from the obvious, you can add spoonfuls to a soup, stuff a chicken or a pork cutlet, or spread over a piece of fish.  Use it as a layer in a lasagna.  Instead of serving spinach & artichoke dip, heat it back up and stir in mozzarella.  I happened to spread it on some bread for the tea.

Makes about 2 cups

Difficulty rating  π