Skillet Squash Medley —Learning to Trust the Heat

Last week of July. School registration is coming for the older kids at the daycare and the families are busy and distracted and the kids feel it. Thomas has been clingy and Mia has been louder than usual and Jaylen keeps hiding under the reading loft which he has never done before. I keep telling them with my body as much as with words that I am still here, still the same, nothing has changed in this room. They need that said without words sometimes.

I registered for my first class at Calhoun this week. Child Development and Learning Theory, Tuesday and Thursday evenings, six to nine. My supervisor said she would adjust my schedule so I can leave at five-thirty on those days. I bought a used textbook for $14 on eBay. I have not been a student since high school and the thought of it makes me nervous in a way that is different from cooking-nervous. With cooking I know what success tastes like. With school I am less sure.

Gloria made fried okra on Sunday, which I have never made myself and have always eaten only at her house. She dredges it in cornmeal after a quick egg wash and fries it in small batches so the oil stays hot. Each piece comes out crispy and not at all slimy, which is the critique people have about okra who have not had it made right. I stood at the stove and did one batch myself under her watch and she said more heat and I turned it up and the next batch was perfect, golden and crispy and tasting like summer and cast iron and the specific pleasure of a thing done correctly.

I ate half the bowl before we even sat down. Gloria watched me eat and smiled to herself and said nothing. She has a way of letting you enjoy your own accomplishments without making a speech. I am trying to learn that too.

I have been thinking about that batch of okra all week—the one where Gloria told me to turn up the heat and I did and everything changed. It made me want to keep going with summer vegetables and a hot skillet, to practice that same principle: more heat, more confidence, trust the process. This skillet squash medley is what came next in my kitchen, a few nights later, alone at the stove on a Tuesday, and it had that same quality—golden edges, the smell of something right, the specific satisfaction of doing a thing correctly on your own.

Skillet Squash Medley with Okra

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 medium yellow squash, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
• 1 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
• 1 cup fresh okra, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup fine yellow cornmeal
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 3 tablespoons neutral oil (vegetable or canola), plus more as needed
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• Fresh parsley or chives, chopped, for serving

Instructions

1. Prep the coating. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Place the beaten egg in a separate shallow bowl.
2. Coat the okra. Working in batches, dip the okra pieces in the egg, let the excess drip off, then toss in the cornmeal mixture until evenly coated. Set aside on a plate. Do not coat the squash yet.
3. Heat the skillet. Place a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and let it heat until shimmering—about 2 minutes. The oil should be hot enough that a drop of water sizzles immediately on contact.
4. Fry the okra first. Add the coated okra in a single layer. Do not crowd the pan; fry in batches if needed. Cook 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning once, until deeply golden and crispy. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and season with a pinch of salt while hot.
5. Soften the squash. Reduce heat to medium. Add the butter to the same skillet. Once melted, add the squash and zucchini rounds in a single layer. Season with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook without stirring for 3 minutes, then flip and cook another 2 to 3 minutes until golden on both sides and just tender.
6. Finish with garlic. Push the squash to the edges of the skillet and add the minced garlic (and red pepper flakes if using) to the center. Cook 30 seconds until fragrant, then stir everything together.
7. Combine and serve. Return the fried okra to the skillet and toss gently to combine everything. Taste and adjust seasoning. Transfer to a serving dish, scatter fresh herbs over the top, and serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 210 | Protein: 5g | Fat: 11g | Carbs: 25g | Fiber: 4g | Sodium: 380mg