Chef notes

Traditionally, a cordon bleu is made with veal or chicken that's filled with cheese and ham, then shallow-fried in vegetable oil. It's served with lingonberry jam, lemon and a lightly dressed green salad or potato salad. Every traditional restaurant in Austria always has their version of cordon bleu on the menu. Since I had a beautiful garden while growing up, we crafted our own iteration of the dish using overgrown squash. Consequently, we opted to substitute the meat with squash, along with high-quality cheese and cured meat. It's the ideal summer meal for either lunch or dinner.

Technique tip: Use skewers to help stabilize the cordon bleu; make sure to take them out before serving.

Special equipment: A mandolin.