Pan Fried Summer Squash

Zucchini or Yellow summer squash
1/2 cup flour (could add a couple of tablespoons of cornmeal)
salt and pepper
1 Tbsp. sugar
Butter or oil for frying

Slice the squash crosswise into 1/4 - 1/2 inch slices. Place the flour in a flat pan or brown paper bag. Season with salt and pepper and add the sugar. Mix well. Place a few pieces of squash at a time in the mixture and shake or flip each piece until well coated.

Heat a skillet to medium heat melting the shortening. Rotate the pan to ensure that it is fully coated. Lay squash slices in the pan making sure that they do not overlap - otherwise the squash tends to get mushy. Cook each piece turning and allowing it to brown for about 5 minutes. Place the finished squash on paper towels to drain before serving. They can be kept warm in a 200° oven while you fry the remaining slices.

Note: Lemon pepper can be used in place of the salt and pepper for a slightly citrus variation.

Perfectly Sautéed Zucchini
from https://www.seriouseats.com/

Zucchini is a definitive summer vegetable. It shows up in abundance—overflowing from farmers market crates, crowding garden beds and kitchen counters alike, waiting for its moment. But far too often, that moment ends in a pile of mush when you attempt to sear it in a skillet.

5 Key Techniques for Perfect Sautéed Zucchini

1. Slice it (but not too thin). Fairly thick pieces maintain their structure better than thin slices, giving you something to bite into after cooking. Aim for 1/4- to 1/2-inch-thick rounds or half-moons. Slices that are too thin tend to overcook and turn limp before they get a chance to brown, while thicker cuts might brown on the outside but stay crunchy and undercooked in the center. That middle-of-the-road thickness hits the sweet spot: The pieces are sturdy enough to hold their shape, but thin enough to cook through and develop golden edges.

2. Salt it. Toss the cut zucchini with one teaspoon of kosher salt per pound of whole zucchini. Set the slices in a colander over a bowl and let them sit for about 30 minutes. You'll be surprised by how much liquid is released. That water is what causes zucchini to steam instead of sear; drawing it out means less moisture, better browning in the pan, and a more concentrated flavor—a big win for a vegetable this mild.

3. Dry it off. Pat the slices dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. This step ensures you're not adding any of that released water to the pan.

4. Sauté in hot oil. Heat a bit of oil (I prefer olive oil for its fruity flavor, but you can use whatever cooking oil you like) in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. The pan needs to be piping hot when the slices start cooking. Add the zucchini to the pan in a single layer and make sure not to overcrowd the skillet. Once it's in the pan, toss the zucchini only occasionally so it has a chance to caramelize. You're better off trying to get one good hard sear on one cut side than trying to brown the slices all over, which runs the risk of overcooking them.

5. Cook until just tender. This is arguably the most important step. Don't let the zucchini overcook—unless you're intentionally cooking it down into a sauce or turning it into a dip. Otherwise, like when serving it as a side, the goal is tender, not falling apart. After about 10 minutes, you'll have golden, browned zucchini that's flavorful, tender, and structurally sound—not soggy or falling apart.