The Haudenosaunee historically grew corn, beans, and squash together, treasuring them as sustainers of body and soul, as their synergistic agricultural characters rewarded their faith with bumper crops.

The “three sisters” came to mind this week as I prepared recipes to share aimed at equipping cooks to exploit those three vegetables, especially abundant now.

When zucchini and summer squash seem to multiply like tribbles, think squash crudo, which adds a brilliant salad notion to your cucurbita repertoire.

Dedicated sweet corn fans should consider making fresh corn casserole, which rejects fillers, mixes, and other adulterants in favor of naturally starchy condensed corn milk for focused corn flavor.

Green beans for a crowd doesn’t get better than fassolakia ladera, Greek-style stewed green beans with tomatoes and lots of fresh herbs.

Fresh corn casserole

This recipe uses no thickeners or roux, and is gluten-free. Just the kernels and “corn milk” from scraping cobs, plus some dairy and minimal seasonings. 

The result is fluffy, not pudding-like, and the kernels still have their crunch. If you really want to hoover fresh sweet corn like a hungry combine, this is your jam.

Ingredients

Two dozen (24) ears sweet corn

1 cup sour cream or whole milk Greek yogurt

¼ cup hard grating cheese or feta

2 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

2 tablespoons butter, plus more for dish

1 teaspoon chile powder 

½ cup or more shredded sharp cheddar 

Optional: chiles, bacon, cracker crumb topping

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Shuck corn and pluck silk strands. 

In a large bowl in the kitchen sink, cut kernels from cobs. Don’t worry about getting everything. That’s the next step. 

With the back of the knife, a butter knife, or sturdy spoon, scrape each cob along the ridges to yield partial kernels and corn “milk.”

Combine kernels and scrapings in large bowl. Add eggs, cheese, sour cream or yogurt, salt, pepper, and chile powder. Plus optionals like roasted green chiles, bacon crumbles, or chopped fresh tomatoes.

Top with shredded cheddar, or other suitable cheese. 

Or, crumble two cups of Saltine-type crackers and season with onion and garlic powders, and perhaps more grated hard cheese. 

Put in oven for 45 minutes, or until the surface is browned to your satisfaction. Allow to cool before serving. 

Fasolakia ladera (Φασολάκια λαδερά)

Based on this recipe from the irreplaceable Greek cooking site Kalofagas

Before meeting this dish, I thought mushy green beans were uniformly bad, the result of canned vegetable and cafeteria experiences in my youth. A low, slow simmer among herbs and olive oil lends these beans a lush sweetness that turned me right around.

Potatoes soak up savor in the simmer, too, giving the dish heft. Herbal greenery of some sort is needed, so if you don’t have fresh parsley or dill, basil would not be out of line. This is a recipe to save for when your late-season green beans are too overgrown and knobby to present as green beans American style.

One more note: if you’re considering making this dish and subbing vegetable oil for olive oil, I would advise against it. Usually they’re swappable, but vegetable oil doesn’t deliver the luxe feeling that you want here.

Ingredients

3 pounds green beans

½ cup olive oil

1 cup onions, sliced

¼ cup smashed garlic

1 cup fresh parsley, chopped stems and all

¼ cup fresh mint, chopped leaves, or 2 tablespoons dried 

½ cup fresh dill, chopped stems and all, or 3 tablespoons dried

2 cups tomatoes, chopped fresh, puree or canned chopped 

4-5 whole allspice berries (optional)

2 cups hot water

4 cups potatoes, cut into big (1-½ inch) chunks

Salt and pepper

Instructions

In a large pot over medium heat, heat oil adding garlic and onions and saute until onions are translucent but not yet browned, about 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes, and allspice (if using), plus a modest amount of salt. (You can always add more later, but we want some to soak into the veg now.) Simmer until fragrant, about 5 minutes.

Turn heat to high and add herbs, beans, and water, stirring to thoroughly combine. When it comes to a boil, turn the heat down to low simmer, and cover.

Stir every 10 minutes or so. If it looks thirsty, add a little more water. It’s ready when the potatoes are tender and the beans start falling apart in the verdant tomato gravy, 40-60 minutes. Taste and add salt if needed.

Ladle into bowls. As Kalofagas chef-author Peter Minaki notes, fassolakia ladera is best served with crusty bread and feta cheese.

Zucchini and summer squash crudo

In this recipe, inspired by Michael Symon’s “Live to Cook,” summer squash and zucchini are sliced, salted and left to drain for up to 15 minutes. That softens the squash but doesn’t make it mushy, and the resulting salad is not overly salty. It’s important to cut the squashes into thin slices, about ⅛-inch thick, so the salt can tenderize them.

Dressed with a lemony dill vinaigrette and crunchy toasted almonds, it’s a refreshing way to serve up summer squash.

Ingredients

2 zucchini, thinly sliced

2 yellow summer squash, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon plus ½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 small onion, finely sliced 

Grated zest and juice of 3 lemons, or to taste

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

⅓ cup slivered or sliced almonds, toasted

⅓ cup chopped fresh dill

Instructions

Slice the squash thinly with a mandoline or knife. Combine the zucchini and yellow squash in a colander in the sink and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the salt over it. Toss to coat, and set aside for 10 to 15 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the garlic and shallot, sprinkle with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and whisk in the lemon zest and juice. Whisk in the olive oil in a steady stream, then the almonds and dill. Taste for seasoning and acidity, and adjust as desired.

Add the zucchini and squash to the dressing, toss with toasted almonds, and serve.

REVIEW: San Marco holds a unique place in the Buffalo restaurant pantheon for the persistence of its Italian fine dining excellence. While other places are forced to shift gears based on the various frailties and vagaries of human existence, San Marco has been in the hands of the same restaurant veterans for 37 years. That why the boar with juniper berries, venison with cherries and red wine sauce, and that grilled sea bass in creamy pesto are just as good as you remember. It’s also why you should return before something changes. (For patrons, later this week.)

755 COOKS SET FUNDRAISER: If you loved the Lebanese cooking at Niagara Falls’ 755 Restaurant as much as I did, heads up: You can enjoy it again, if for one night only, to help people in Lebanon.

The owners are stepping back into the kitchen at Marketside Restaurant, to serve up authentic Lebanese favorites at 712 E. Market St., Niagara Falls. All proceeds will be donated to Lebanese crisis relief.

It’s Saturday, Sept. 26, 5 p.m.-8 p.m. Call 716-282-0644 for reservations.

SUNDAY IN SNYDER: Quokka Sweets‘ super-premium ice cream lands in Snyder for a midday pop-up at Marigold Wine, 13 Lincoln Road, facing Snyder Fire Department. It’s 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Crafted by veteran pastry chef Jenn Batt, Quokka ice cream is one-of-a-kind. “Inspired by orchard mornings, fading gardens, and the quiet shift of the season, this collection explores autumn through small-batch ice cream—crafted from scratch with thoughtfully sourced ingredients and unexpected flavor,” she wrote. “Expect warm spice layered with bright fruit, toasted grains and nuts, floral notes, and rich caramelized finishes. Familiar, but never ordinary.”

Join Batt for an afternoon at Marigold Wines, where seasonal ice cream meets thoughtfully curated wines. Ice cream flavors include:

Riesling-poached pear sorbet

Sunflower seed praline with Concord grape swirl

Brown butter almond brittle

Herbal raspberry brownie ice cream sandwich.

MORE MORIARTY: Rejoice, for Cafe Bar Moriarty is now open Tuesdays for lunch.

If you haven’t been yet, what’s keeping you? Now you can experience one of Buffalo’s best restaurants, starring Chef Jen Boye’s seasonal inspirations, five days a week.

Cafe hours: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday-Saturday. Closed Sunday-Tuesday.

ASK THE CRITIC

Q: Where would you go for a great steak and atmosphere? It’s her birthday and our third anniversary.

– Doug L., Buffalo, via text

A: My first suggestions would be Beacon Grille, whose wood-fired Argentinian grill adds smoky character, and Waxlight Bar a Vin, where there’s always topnotch meat and potatoes on the menu.

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