[Recipe] "Summer's Bounty" Parmesan-Crusted Summer Squash

I like vegetables.  I don't eat them all that regularly, likely due in part to my work schedule and due in other part to the difficulty of getting a lot of beautiful fresh produce in New York City.  There are farmer's markets, to be sure, but it just isn't that easy or cheap on a regular basis.  In the summer, though, it becomes slightly easier, as farmers' markets pop up all over the city and sometimes just a few blocks from my office.  I've learned to ignore stares as I take advantage of my lunch break to pick up ears of summer corn around the corner.  You've gotta do what you've gotta do.

"Summer's Bounty" Parmesan-Crusted Summer Squash
a recipe inspired by Jean-Georges Vongerichten
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As you'll see with this very easy recipe, sometimes less is more.  And the humblest ingredients can still yield Michelin-star results.  Who needs foam when you have parmigiano?

Ingredients
4 small yellow summer squash, trimmed and cut at a slight angle into 1-inch pieces
* Note:  If you can't get any yellow summer squash, green summer squash will work just as well.  I like to use both for color.
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more as needed
lemon wedges (optional)
fleur de sel or other coarse sea salt (optional)
freshly ground black pepper (optional)

Directions
1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  Set a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet.
* Note:  If you don't have a wire rack, the rimmed baking sheet by itself, covered with aluminum foil, will work.  However, as Jean-Georges says in his cookbook, by cooking the squash on a rack, it ensures that it won't wind up watery and soft.  Instead, the water is released and the squash will have a fluffy texture.

2.  In a large bowl, gently toss the squash, oil, and salt until the squash is evenly coated.  Arrange the squash in a single layer on the rack, spacing the pieces at least 1/2 an inch apart.  Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the squash.  Each piece should have a generous coating.
3.  Roast until the cheese is golden brown and the edges of the squash are dark brown, about 11-12 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let the squash cool on the rack for 10 minutes.

4.  Use a metal spatula to transfer the squash to a serving dish.  You should flip the spatula over so the bottom is facing up, then push the edge of the spatula against the squash, the way you would scrape paint off a wall.  Positioning the spatula this way creates an angle that helps lift the squash off the rack.
5.  Optional Steps: I skipped these last steps, which appear in Jean-Georges' recipe, because I thought the squash was already seasoned beautifully.  But you can also squeeze lemon juice over the top of the squash, then drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil.  Season with fleur de sel and pepper and serve immediately.