Courgettes or zucchini – Call them whatever you fancy but WoW, have I got a glut! Problem is everyone else has too. It’s really difficult to imagine when you plant a tiny plant just how many beautiful courgettes and yellow blossoms you’ll have. Either a feast or a famine! There’s no excuse for me, every year I warn home gardeners not to plant more than 2 or 3 plants, even though it seems very few, once they get going in mid-summer, it’s difficult to keep up, it’s extraordinary how fast they grow. It’s the plant that keeps on giving! But unfortunately, there are only so many meals in the week, delicious as they are, I’m not sure I want to eat them for breakfast also! We’ve got three different varieties to compare flavour. Green: Dunga Yellow: Yellow Fin Striped: Cocozelle – my favourite. Size matters when you are harvesting. At about 15-17cm long and 2.5-5cm thick, they are crisp and nutty, a revelation to those who have only tasted the watery commercial version. Even if there are more than you need, keep up with the harvesting, search under the spreading leaves, it’s easy to miss one or two and they’ll grow into watery marrows at speed if not picked. The larger ones have less flavour but of course have their uses too. Grate them to make a delicious zucchini bread, zucchini fritters are addictive, as are little deep-fried batons to dip in an Aioli or Harissa Mayo. So, instead of moaning, let’s look on a glut as a bonus. It’s definitely an opportunity for creative cooks to rustle up lots of exciting dishes and/or you could always set up an Honesty Box at the gate and sell a few, to raise money for a local charity. I adore crisp zucchini blossoms, the female flower has the zucchini attached, the male flower with its long stalk is perfect for stuffing. Could be a simple bit of melty mozzarella with a fresh basil leaf, maybe a scrap of salty anchovy. Dip it in a light batter and fry until crisp in a light olive oil or tallow. Even simpler, peel some paper thin shaving of unpeeled zucchini (use a swivel top peeler). Scatter onto a chilled plate, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, a few shavings of Pecorino and crisp deep-fried capers – an enchanting combination. Love a zucchini and basil omelette or frittata too. Zucchini or courgettes barbecue brilliantly too and are of course an essential ingredient in Ratatouille, Caponata or Roast Summer Vegetables. They don’t freeze well so enjoy while you can. Here are three recipes for you to enjoy.
Rachel’s Zucchini and Walnut Bread
We’ve got several recipes for zucchini (courgette) bread but this version, originally given to us by an American friend is my favourite.
First published in Rachel Allen’s cookbook, Bake. It’s moist and delicious!
Makes 2 loaves
Ingredients
400g plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp baking powder
75g walnuts, chopped plus extra for scattering on top of the bread
½ tsp salt, plus a pinch
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cloves
300g caster sugar
100g Demerara sugar
3 eggs
200ml sunflower oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
380g zucchini grated (skin left on)
Preheat the oven to 150°C/Gas Mark 2.
Line two 13cm x 20cm (450g) loaf tins with parchment paper.
Method
Sieve the flour, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder into a large bowl, then mix in the chopped walnuts, salt and spices. Add the caster and Demerara sugar and stir well to mix.
In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with the oil and vanilla extract. Add the grated zucchini and mix well until combined, then pour this into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Divide the mixture between the two prepared loaf tins. Scatter more chopped walnuts over the top of each loaf.
Bake in the oven for 1 – 1 ¼ hours, until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for about 5-10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Cut into slices and serve on its own or toasted and buttered.
Tightly wrapped in parchment paper, this bread keeps well for up to 10 days.
Pickled Zucchini
A brilliantly simple pickle to make when zucchini are plentiful. Delicious served with a selection of salads or as an accompaniment.
Serves 10-12
Ingredients
1kg thinly sliced unpeeled zucchini (12.5cm in length)
3 small onions thinly sliced
175g sugar
1 tablespoon salt
225ml apple cider vinegar
Method
Combine the zucchini and onion sliced in a large bowl.
Mix the sugar, salt and vinegar together and pour over the zucchini.
Place in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator and leave for at least 1-2 hours or overnight before using.
Best eaten on the day but keeps for weeks in
the fridge.
Zucchini Chutney
Another terrific way to use up a glut. Gift to friends…
Serve as an accompaniment to grilled meats, fish or poultry.
Ingredients
2 lemons
3 medium sized zucchini, peeled and cut into 2.5cm pieces
2 medium onions thinly sliced
175ml dry white wine
2 tsp sugar
24 whole black peppercorns coarsely crushed
1 walnut sized piece of fresh ginger chopped until it becomes like a paste
salt to taste
Method
Cut all the peel and white pith from the lemon and discard. Cut the lemons into thin slices and remove as many of the seeds as possible. Place all the ingredients in a small saucepan and cover and cook over a medium heat for 1 hour. Check the mixture occasionally to ensure it does not burn. The chutney should have the consistency of marmalade.
The chutney may be served warm or cold.
