Courgette madness?

[di]

How many is too many?

Every year, I end up with too many, but the silly thing is, I've still never tasted a flower as I'm worried it's a waste of courgette. So, do I plant an extra four or five plants or would that just be silly?

[veggiechicken]

Eat the males (flowers). Yummy stuffed with rice (flowers)!

[zazen999]

Yes, that's too silly. However pickled courgettes to everyone you have ever met for Christmas 2012 may not be.

[veggiechicken]

Oven dried courgettes marinaded in oil and herbs for me please.

[di]

Let the jam jar saving commence!

Oven dried are sounding good, do you preserve them in the oil or have to eat there and then?

[lizzylemon]

just eat the flowers and then you wont have to worry about a glut at the end of the season. Tis the only reason I'm growing them this year - hate the bladdy things otherwise.

[veggiechicken]

Dry them in the slow oven until they're almost dry - like "sun"dried tomatoes. Then pile them in a jar layered with whatever herbs take your fancy (usually oregano for me) and when cold cover with olive oil. I still have some I made a couple of years ago because last year, my courgette crop was 2. I may have a proper recipe somewhere so will have a look for it. I like them in a sandwich, no butter necessary because of the oil, maybe some fresh tomatoes and rocket - must stop I'm salivating!

[Jeanied]

Di your pickle is so popular that is all I am going to do with mine I think!

[di]

Thanks Jeanie, got to say I rather love it but the oven dried ones are sounding equally as pleasing.....so is that ten or fifteen plants?

[Jeanied]

20 plants I think! There is always PW's courgette soup recipe as well - a favourite with my brother and my neighbour! Can't get enough courgettes!

[northepaul]

I have never had too many courgettes!!
I am going to be doing more plants now I have an allotment - I was thinking 10 plants?

[Nicos]

We usually have about 7 plants- 5 yellow and a couple of green.( there are 2 of us)
.....You can always give away yellow ones if you end up with a glut of yellow marrows Most peps here grow green ones- so a yellow one is a nice change!

I think we have about 3 marrows left in the barn!....and about 25 1litre jars full of ratatouille left( mainly courgette/onion/french beans/tomatoes)...oh and a few stuffed courgette in the freezer!

[di]

Ah, I've never thought to freeze stuffed ones...does it work?

[Nicos]

Yes. I used to par-steam the courgette before filling with cooked rice/lamb etc but found they went sloppy in the microwave when being reheated.
Worked better directly into the oven.
This year I'm going to stuff raw ones and see how that works out.
Anyone else do this?

[di]

Obviously not me, but I'll be giving it a go this year.