Preserving courgettes without freezing

[Storm]

We have got a glut of courgettes (like everyone else? ) and i have been trying to find ways to preserve them without freezing.

can they be kept in oil? bottled in brine? do they keep well like this?

any ideas/methods that can be recommended?

[vicky]

You can bottle them in oil. First grill/griddle/roast to intensify the flavour, then pop in a sterilised jar with herbs (eg basil) and add oil. Also make some pots of mixed veg?

[Cutecumber]

There are some potentially nasty problems with storing in oil - though rare, it is possible to introduce bacteria which thrive in the oil and can make you very ill. Commercially, companies have to adhere to strict health and safety guidelines.

I would advise you to follow a recipe for pickling/ making chutney - the difference is that these methods involve heating and the use of vinegar (a natural anti-bacterial).

If you Google, you will find some interesting courgette chutney and pickle recipes.

[Hilary B]

How about pickling like you do onions, by 'salting' for a while (briefly for courgettes I would think, but you would probably want to cut them up) and then bottling with pickling vinegar? Not exactly gherkins, but not totally different either.....
I've pickled a few things over the years, and I ALWAYS use cold vinegar. Either ready-to-use pickling vinegar, or cold-spiced (takes a couple of months, but you can add the spices when you actually use it for the veg). If you boil the vinegar in order to get the spicing 'into' it, you DO reduce the strength of the vinegar, because the 'active part' (acetic acid) boils more readily than the diluting water does.

[vicky]

There's a Jamie Oliver one where you prepare the veg, then boil in a 50 % vinegar, 50% water soln for 3 mins, drain, add to oil (whilst hot, with lots of herbs, garlic etc) and pot up whilst hot.
That should kill off bacteria!
If you want to google it he did it with aubergine

[di]

I've posted a thread here a bit back "pickled courgettes".Really are very yummy!

[Storm]

thanks for all those suggestions.

My first thought had been to store the courgettes in spiced oil as they can then be used for lots of different things (e.g. pasta dishes, salads etc.).

I am a devoted chutney lover but even I can only get through a pot or two per month

thanks for the recipe andi&di. will print that off and have a look for the Jamie Oliver recipe too.

cheers for the help. i will post back with results

[di]

How about making extra pots of chutney/pickle & give as chrimble pressies?

[Storm]

How about making extra pots of chutney/pickle & give as chrimble pressies?

That's a good idea. lots of our chums are already getting pots of home made jam and packs of home grown dried herbs anyway so chutney might round things off nicely!

went up the lottie last night again - and *still* the courgettes are coming!

[Polly Fouracre]

Or you could dry them! Pounds of courgettes could be dried and kept in one jar. They taste a bit like some strange and rare fungi but are very nice. You can re-hydrate them or eat them as they are.
Use little courgettes, very fresh, cut into 1/4 in. slices, blanch until almost tender. Drain and dry in a just warm oven or whatever. Put into clean paper bags and then into a jar.

[jilted generation]

How long will they last once dried and stored?

Once I have dried and stored them how long will they last?

Or you could dry them! Pounds of courgettes could be dried and kept in one jar. They taste a bit like some strange and rare fungi but are very nice. You can re-hydrate them or eat them as they are.
Use little courgettes, very fresh, cut into 1/4 in. slices, blanch until almost tender. Drain and dry in a just warm oven or whatever. Put into clean paper bags and then into a jar.

[Storm]

I got a special fruit and veg dryer for my birthday and that has proved invaluable for drying the courgettes. I haven't tried rehydrating and eating them yet but I think that they will be fine when cooked and liquidised in curry/pasta sauce.

I have also made 8 jars of hot courgette chutney which has used a lot up too. will make another not-so-hot batch tonight to give away.

One question: WHy do you need to blanche the courgettes first? i just cut mine up and dried them and they seem to have dried fine.

[binley100]

I've posted a thread here a bit back "pickled courgettes".Really are very yummy!

I did this last night ....thanks for the thread.

[binley100]

There's a Jamie Oliver one where you prepare the veg, then boil in a 50 % vinegar, 50% water soln for 3 mins, drain, add to oil (whilst hot, with lots of herbs, garlic etc) and pot up whilst hot.
That should kill off bacteria!
If you want to google it he did it with aubergine

I've tried goggling it to no avail ..........

[binley100]

Just found this recipe which you could substitute courgettes in
Spicy Eggplant / Aubergine Pickle | A Self Sufficient Life