This is one of those farm-box inspired recipes. I made it once just to try it out, and then a second time to nail down the amounts and procedure.

The first time I tried pattypan squash, I sauteed it in butter with ginger and garlic, and it was good. So I kept the butter and the squash, tossed out everthing else, and added quinoa to make a fairly light but still satisfying side dish.

A note on substitutions. It's best with pattypan squash if you can get it. I'd substitute yellow squash first and zucchini second, but what's most important is that it be as fresh as you can manage, because that mild... funk that supermarket zucchini has really wouldn't help this dish at all. You'll need!

• 3/4 cup brown quinoa
• 1 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup of summer squash, diced
• Juice of half a lemon
• 2 tablespoons fresh parcely, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon salted butter
• Salt and pepper to taste

PREP: You'll need about two hand-size pattypan squash to get a cup. Peel it, but there's no need to peel it like you're tapping all the light switches in the house and counting them. A little peel won't hurt. If you're using summer squash or zucchini, as long as the skin's not to thick, a vigorous scrubbing will suffice.

Rinse and drain the quinoa in a mesh strainer. Dice the squash in roughly 1/4" to 1/2" chunks. Make sure the parsley is nice and fine - you want it evenly distributed.

COOKING: Place the quinoa and water in a small, covered pot, and bring to a boil. I've found that slightly under a 2:1 ratio on the water produces a nice toothsome final product that doesn't clump. Once the pot is boiling, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 12 minutes. Any more and it gets mushy. When it's done, take it off the heat and fluff it with a fork and set it aside.

In a saucepan, melt the butter and heat it until it just starts to brown. Add the squash, a pinch of salt, and a grind or two of black pepper, and saute for 2-3 minutes until the squash starts to get a bit of color. Then add the cooked quinoa and stir for about 30 seconds to one minute, breaking up the quinoa, distributing the squash through it, and lightly toasting the quinoa.

At this point, add the lemon and the parsley and cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all the lemon juice has been absorbed and the parsley is thoroughly mixed in. Makes 3-4 servings.