A burdensome bounty?

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Posted at 11:15AM, 03 September 2008 by Mary Cadogan - Food writer

No matter how well I think I have planned my veggie patch, I always end up having more courgettes than I can comfortably manage to eat. And once they start coming, they can't seem to stop. Each day there's another couple sneakily hiding under their huge leaves. And friends won't take them as they all seem to have their own courgette mountain to deal with.

Creative thinking is called for if they are not to be consigned to the compost heap

Don't get me wrong, I like courgettes, but there's a limit to how many times a week you can happily incorporate courgettes into the menu, and they are not a veg that take well to freezing. So creative thinking is called for if they are not to be consigned to the compost heap.

The first rule in the courgette war is to be vigilant. Don't let the little devils get too big, as smaller is sweeter, which generally means nicer to eat. Small courgettes, especially the yellow variety, can be treated like cucumbers and eaten raw, either sliced into salads, made into batons for dips, or grated into crunchy slaws.

Larger specimens make a good soup. Simply fry some chopped bacon and a little onion in a splash of olive oil, add a chopped potato, then 2-3 chopped courgettes. Give it a good stir, then pour in 600ml stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15-20 mins. Blend until smooth, adding a handful of basil leaves if you have them. Return to the pan and stir in a little milk, salt and pepper. This will give you enough for 2-3 good servings, but if you want to make a double batch, it will freeze quite nicely.

My friend Sandy gave me a good tip. She grates a couple of courgettes, pats them dry and stirs them into thick pancake batter, then fries them to make small blinis to serve with drinks. Top with a blob of soured cream and prosciutto or smoked salmon, or make large ones for lunch or supper, topped with a poached egg and some crispy bacon. Or stir in a little crumbled feta and some chopped mint to upgrade them to a starring role on the plate.

Probably my all time favourite treatment is one from Claudia Roden's book, Arabesque. Simply chop the courgettes roughly and boil until tender, then drain. Chop them up, then mash them with a fork in the colander to get as much water out as possible. Fry some halved cherry tomatoes and a couple of sliced cloves of garlic in olive oil until tender, then stir in the courgettes, salt, pepper and coriander or parsley. This is such a good side dish with grilled meat or fish, and any leftovers are good cold as a sauce or dip.

If anyone out there has some other brilliant ideas for this most prolific of vegetables, do let us know.

Comments

James

3 September 2008, 12:40PM
James

I like courgette noodles - using the mandolin to make tagliatelle like strands. Blanch them quick so they're still crunchy and mix them with orange zest, olive oil, salt and pepper. Goes great with fish. Leave courgettes till they're marrows and you can make marrow jam, or marrow and runner bean chutney. I made ratatouillle macaroni cheese a few months ago - a combination of two classics. If you have a glut of courgettes of course you can roast them in olive oil, cool them and freeze them so you can enjoy them throughout the winter. They cook straight from frozen. Talking of freezing you can replace the peas in pea and mint sorbet with courgettes - totally refreshing, but maybe not so good in our cold summer....

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Ant

3 September 2008, 1:23PM
Ant

Mmm, courgette tempura has to be my favourite, with the lightest Japanese style batter you can make - they come out crunchy on the outside and soft and gooey on the inside. Very good mixed with some aubergine as well!. The courgette fritters (or pancakes) are great too - and were eaten as far back as the 13th century!

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Recipes-LR

4 September 2008, 8:10AM
Recipes-LR

Two other suggestions for using courgettes: Grate and mix with grated carrots and lemon/oil dressing - a good alternative to accompany salads or as a component of hors d'oeuvres; Use courgettes sliced in half lengthways and baked with a pork, bacon and herb mince (loosely with other vegetables: red pepper, beef tomatoes etc.).

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Anneli

4 September 2008, 12:23PM
Anneli

There is a nice recipe for courgette and ricotta cannelloni somewhere on Good Food also. I think it came from Olive magazine originally... very tasty!

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James

4 September 2008, 2:33PM
James

.... and sandwiches - now the kids are back at school. Slice courgettes into thin ribbons and fry in the leftover oil from marinated artichokes (very flavoursome). Make a white bean puree - either using tinned or cook your own - braised in the oven in stock and artichoke oil. When soft about an hour cool and puree. Make sandwiches on pumpkin seed bread (made in the breadmaker) with the puree, courgettes, marinated artichokes and whatever herb is in your garden - mint is nice.

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Marie

6 September 2008, 4:43PM
Marie

I have made two batches of courgette chutney which is going down very well with family and friends. Each batch uses 4lbs courgettes!

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littlemefi

6 September 2008, 5:29PM
littlemefi

I have just made the marrow and ginger jam from last months Good Food magazine. Not eaten it yet as it's still cooling, but used up about 7lbs of marrow! The smell of ginger and lemon coming from the kitchen is delicious!

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Pat

7 September 2008, 4:24PM
Pat

I have just made four huge pots of pepperonata with added marrow (to use it up) - what a fabulous addition. Went down really well with friends and family. Served it with roasted sea bass, , griddled tenderloin of pork, with pasta and even had it as a pizza topping. All very delicious.

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Elaine

7 September 2008, 6:52PM
Elaine

Despite my best intentions, life (and the weather) put paid to my plans to grow some veg this year. However, I've had three good blackberrying sessions. One along the lanes of Dorset while on holiday a few weeks ago (three fab blackberry & apple crumbles), then another in the Welsh borders (more crumble) and then again nearer home along the Thames river path. Something very satisfying about 'food for free'. Tried the crumble on the front of this month's Good Food. I recommend!

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Mary Cadogan

8 September 2008, 7:50AM
Mary Cadogan

I must pass on my husband Mick's contribution to our courgette mountain. Slice the courgettes lengthwise into strips, toss in a little olive oil, salt and pepper and cook quickly on a hot griddle pan(or barbie when the rain stops) until charred on both sides. Serve with a squeeze of lemon juice. Delish warm or cold.

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weeniejeannie

9 September 2008, 10:58PM
weeniejeannie

I slice courgettes thinly, shake in a plastic bag contqaining half and half flour and cornmeal, salt and pepper and fry them until crispy and brown. You can also do okra the same way.

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maria

18 September 2008, 2:17PM
maria

we like this. you slice the courgette and fry it till it start getting soft, than add about two tomatoes chopped and keep frying. Than add a couple of whisked eggs. add salt and pepper to taste keep cooking till it binds .We serve it with meat.

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AdrianB

26 October 2008, 9:53AM
AdrianB

Don't forget to use the flowers to make the Italian wonder-starter "Fiori di zucchine fritte" - there's a recipe here from BBC woman's hour http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/food/recipe207.shtml --- but they have omitted to tell you to stuff the flowers with an anchovy fillet before you cook them. Avanti!

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