This is the last of the zucchini recipes for this year even though I still have more that many of you sent me. I suspect that those of you who are not fond of zukes will breathe a sigh of relief, like Maggy Aston, my neighbor and publisher of our Island News for whom I write a garden column. She said, “I hope you aren’t going to write about zucchini in your column.”

But I promised the good folks at Rockville Chapel where I gave a talk a week ago last Sunday that I would provide this, and then this past Saturday in Belfast at Left Bank Books where I gave a talk and signed my new book Maine Home Cooking, I told about this upcoming jam recipe. (By the way, Judith Stein of Belfast who attended the event, reported that you’d never know it had zucchini in it.)

Sharon Smith in Calais sent this recipe along with a couple of recipes for zucchini casseroles. Sharon added the note, “An easy recipe for the holidays to give out with decorated jars.” Using up six cups of peeled and grated zucchini will warm the hearts of the frugal who can’t stand the idea of composting squash surplus or who don’t have pigs who’d enjoy a little stewed zucchini. And it will amaze your friends and confound your enemies when you spread this on their toast.

Normally I am not a fan of Sure Jell. I use an apple cut up and added to fruits like blackberries, for instance, to promote jelling. There is nothing wrong with it; I just don’t like to buy something when I can solve the problem another way, and I am vain about making jams and jellies without any extra help. Between the Sure Jell and the lemon Jello in this recipe, however, the zucchini and pineapple mix has no choice but to set up and do so quickly. Directions to peel the zuke before grating it means that there are no weird little green strands in the jam, but if that doesn’t bother you, skip that step as long as the skin isn’t tough and dry.

Zucchini Jam
6 cups peeled and grated zucchini squash
6 cups sugar
1 package of Sure Jell
¼ cup lemon juice
1 large can crushed pineapple
1 large package lemon gelatin dessert

In a large, heavy pot, cook the zucchini with no added water for about five minutes, until zucchini is wilted. Add the sugar, Sure Jell, lemon juice, and crushed pineapple. Cook for about five minutes. Take off the heat and add the lemon gelatin dessert, stirring until it is entirely dissolved. Put into jelly jars and seal.

PS. Some of you might have tomatoes enough to freeze or can. Among the questions I took at Left Bank was one from Diana Coleman of Rockland who asked about what to do with tomatoes. I have a friend who used to freeze tomatoes whole, and then dump one or two into a dish she made as needed. That works if you are short on time and have room enough in your freezer.

My tomatoes are not ripening in such large quantities that it is worth getting out the canner and the big crank strainer. So a small batch approach like one used by an island neighbor of mine is in order, specifically, baking them in an oven prior to freezing or canning. I tried that myself: put them in a baking pan, in the oven at 350 degrees, left until they look a bit dry, then I put them through the food mill and froze the result.