What can I do with courgette's?

[Waffler]

I've made yellow courgette soup for the winter (think it was in the GYO mag a couple of months ago?)
I've frozen c's by sauteeing in butter, and also by making up batches of rat. (can't spell the rest! LOL) which freezes well.
However... I've been putting yellow & green c's outside our gate with a 'help yourself sign' and they've been going really well. The other day I met a lady who has been taking a lot of them; it turns out she has a degree in food science, and was telling me all sorts of things I could do with them (though I haven't tried any yet.) Here are a few ideas, working on the theory that they aren't very tasteful but do absorb flavours rather well: rhubarb & marrow crumble/pie; stuffed marrows; marrow fool (?!) roasted marrow (shake up in a bag with a bit of oil and spices of your choice, then roast in a tray); marrow chutney; marrow jam; marrow rum.
From a Tesco magazine:
Lemon & courgette risotto
750ml veg stock
75g butter
1 chopped onion
1 chopped garlic clove
225g risotto rice
150ml dry white wine
2 large courgettes
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 0.5 lemon
2 tbsp grated parmesan

Find yourself a risotto recipe, then add the courgettes etc. at appropriate times - quite near the end.

Courgettes with crumbs & parsley (I think from Sainsbury's mag)
500g courgettes
100g course white bread crumbs
small bunch of parsley
5tbsp olive oil
2 chopped cloves of garlic
zest of lemon

Basically, saute courgettes in oil until nearly done, then add crumbs & garlic, stirring until golden, adding lemon zest and parsley before serving.

Another weird one: courgette and cherry muffins:
350g plain flour
290g caster sugar
40g porridge oats
1tbsp baking powder
1tsp salt
1tsp cinnamon
100g mixed nuts, chopped
4 beaten eggs
225g grated courgettes
170ml sunflower oil
50g glace cherries, chopped
demerera sugar to sprinkle.

grease & line 9 muffin holes
Mix flour, caster sugar, oats, baking powder, salt & cinnamon. Stir in rest of ingredients and beat well.
Divide mix between tins. Bake in preheated oven (200 C) for 25-30 mins. Sprinkle with dem. sugar and serve warm.

Phew! I need a break now!

[Snadger]

Is there a record for courgettes as I must have had about 30 off one plant up to now and loads more to come!!!

[Waffler]

We have 5 plants, and I reckon we easily get 10-12 courgettes a week.

[eddie]

try them battered and deep fried load of cal,s but bootiful

[kirsty b]

Ham and courgette scones.

I have not tried this yet, but they sound nice..
8oz (225g) Self Raising flour
salt and pepper to taste
2oz (50g) margarine
1/2 tsp dried oregano
2oz (50g) ham, finely chopped
1 courgette, coarsely grated
1 medium egg, beaten with enough milk to make 4 floz (100ml) liquid

Heat oven to 200 degrees/gas mark 6.
mix flour and seasoning in a bowl, rub in the margarine then stir in the oregano, ham and courgette
Stir in the milk and egg mixture, reserving a little for glazing the tops of the scones, and mix to a soft dough.
Knead lightly on a floured surface and pat out to a thickness of about 2cm/1 inch, and cut out into 2.5 inch rounds. Re-roll the trimmings and cut more rounds.
Glaze the tops with reserved milk and egg liquid and bake for 10 minutes until risen and golden brown.
According to the book, they are nice with soup.

[monkeybum]

Hugh FW's recipe for courgette and parmesan pasta is good too. And his ratatouille OH yes and the RC chutney uses them too if they are overgrown. I am sure I should be getting commission for this.

[Sue]

Hi
Yes, courgettes, had tons off of one plant, white volunteer, and would have been stumped without Elaine Borish's cookbook What Will I do with all these Courgettes, been my most heavily used cookbook this year.
When you've worked through all the savoury ideas she has some wonderful sweet recipes, muffins are very good and a very delicious chocolate courgette cake, I've used up 4lb of them with this.
Still got some left so its ratatouille and I think one last chocolate cake this year.
Sue

[ugly gourd]

We will all have to go on ready steady cook and when they ask "and whats in your bag "just tip out loads of courgettes !!

[Alison]

Used the last of mine to make up a load of ratatouille for the freezer and onel last meal of it pan fried with balsamic vinegar, sun dried tomatoes and a bit of brown sugar - try it, it's lovely, especially with a nice piece of fish. Had a bumper year too but can never get enough of them so not a problem. Actually, there was a bit of a problem, the freezer is now too full - need a new bigger one!

[big fiona]

Sarah Green's book on Vegetarian cookery has some really good recipes for courgettes. My favourite is Hazelnut and Courgette bake. It's really tasty, especially with a tomato sauce. It's very nice eaten cold too.

Big Fiona

[Sue]

Two minds, BigFiona, was looking at that very recipe this morning, with your recommendation, shall have a go at the weekend, after the Veg Box delivery - courgettes this week!
best
Sue

[pigletwillie]

I have started to add them into almost every dish as they take flavour well and bulk out other ingredients. Depending upon the recipe they are sliced diced or grated and to be honest not very often do people realise they are there.

[Alison]

Two minds, BigFiona, was looking at that very recipe this morning, with your recommendation, shall have a go at the weekend, after the Veg Box delivery - courgettes this week!
best
Sue

Goodness, courgettes in December where does your veg box come from? Ours is pretty much all root veg and cabbage at this time of year from one of the local farms. Still got some cooked up into pasta sauce in the freezer though after last summer's bumper crop.

[Brookfield Growers]

Hi all,
am new to the vine, but thought that I would add a recipe that I have used this summer on our excess courgettes. I found it on an american website - hence the name & measurements.

Zucchini Relish

10 cups chopped courgettes
2 cups chopped onions
5 cups salt
2 tablespoon corn flour
3 green peppers - chopped
3 red peppers - chopped
one small chilli - chopped
1 tablespoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoon celery seeds
1 tablespoon turmeric
6 cups sugar (i use 3 of white and 3 of soft brown)
2 1/2 cups cider vinegar.

place chopped courgette and onions in large pan, sprinkle with the salt and let stand overnight. Next day rinse well. Stir in all of the rest of the ingredients and cook for 30(ish) minutes. Bottle in steralised jars. Makes about 8 commercial pasta sauce size jars. Tasted great at Christmas with meats and cheese!