Whether you grow it in your backyard garden, shop for it at the farmers’ market or just pick it up in the produce aisle, zucchini is a can’t-miss vegetable this time of year, as this mild, versatile squash is at its peak of freshness during the warm summer months. Simply sauteed zucchini with olive oil and seasoning is a go-to standby, but when you want to dress it up or feature it in creative ways, think beyond everyday preparations and check out Food Network’s best-five zucchini recipes below. Some of your favorite chefs, including Ina and Bobby, showcase this seasonal pick in their top-rated dishes for comforting gratin, quick salads and more can-do plates that are elegant enough to serve to company but easy enough to prepare on a weeknight.

5. Zucchini Gratin — Ina uses just a handful of ingredients to make her big-batch casserole, laced with a buttery sauce and finished with cheesy breadcrumbs for a textured topping.

4. Zucchini Corn Fritters — The secret to making Food Network Magazine‘s quick side dish is salting the zucchini after you shred it and letting it rest before combining it with sauteed corn and onions; this process will draw out much of its moisture, so when you fry the zucchini, it becomes deliciously crisp and golden brown.

Get the top three recipes

Whether you’ve got an abundance of zucchini from your CSA or it’s just one of your summer favorites, here are three ways to incorporate zucchini into your meatless meal tonight.

Start with Bobby’s Grilled Zucchini Salad with Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette and Shaved Romano. Zucchini sliced lengthwise grills up beautifully. Just toss with some Romano cheese, crunchy pine nuts and tangy vinaigrette to create a grill-master side dish.

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Paula's Best Zucchini Bread Recipe

We’re teaming up with other food and garden bloggers to host Summer Fest 2010, a season-long garden party. Each week we’ll feature favorite garden-to-table recipes and tips to help you enjoy the bounty, whether you’re harvesting your own goodies or buying them fresh from the market. To join in, check out awaytogarden.com.

With zucchini season at its peak, there’s no better way to celebrate than with batches and batches of zucchini bread. And if you happen to have a humongous specimen lurking in your garden, this is the dish for you – the seeds of larger zucchini are tough and dry, but you won’t even notice when it’s grated into bread. For a classic, down-home zucchini bread recipe, we turned to Paula, of course.
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I could hardly contain myself after finding out The FN Dish would be going to Ina Garten’s Hampton home for last week’s episode. Being an avid Barefoot Contessa viewer prior to working here at Food Network, I had to make a conscious effort to keep professional and suppress the fan inside who was begging for an autograph. With 133 comments on our Ina video and counting, it looks like I am not alone in my Ina devotion! So for that reason, I thought I’d reveal some cutting room gems left out of our final piece in last week’s “Ina is Back to Basics” video:

GEM #1
Bruce asked Ina what Food Network shows she likes to watch, and after admitting that she doesn’t have time to watch a lot of TV, this was her response:

INA: “Well I love Giada. I think Paula’s show is fun.”

BRUCE: “Yeah, you do like to cook with butter and garlic too”

INA: “Of course! But I think fried mac and cheese is a little off the charts for me!”

(Note to self: Do not bring Paula’s Deep Fried Mac and Cheese to Ina’s next picnic.)

GEM #2
Ina has a wonderful garden full of fresh herbs and vegetables, however, Ina confessed that she hadn’t been up to speed in clearing out her overgrown zucchinis.

Did any of you know that they grew this big?? I could hardly contain my laugher when we were shooting and imagined that Ina had hidden this prop zucchini in the garden before we arrive. But alas, she assured me that zucchinis, if not pulled off the vine, will continue to grow and grow and grow…. I thought Ina might have state fair material on her hands until I looked up these fellow New Yorkers and their super-sized veggies.

GEM #3
Here is proof that Ina’s fridge might be similar to the rest of ours. After Bruce asked Ina what were her go-to late night snacks when opening her fridge at night, Ina humbly said, “whatever doesn’t have mold on it!” That’s my girl!

That’s all the extra scoop I have for now! But if you haven’t already, be sure to check out her new Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basic episodes Saturdays at 1:30pm/12:30c.

-Rachael Knudsen
(Associate Producer, The FN Dish)