Blog post
For the love of a courgette!
3 Aug 2012
Nothing tells me its summer like an evening wondering how I can incorporate courgettes into every part of dinner. I grow courgettes and always plant too many – for much of this summer I’ve been trying to eek them out as there’s been such a poor crop but this week my crop has got out of control! I needed some real inspiration to avoid the classic in our house - ratatouille with courgettes on the side finished by a slice of courgette cake!
If you are having the same thoughts – whether you’ve grown them yourself or bought them on offer, here are my top 10 rescue recipes and tips for making the most of your wonderful courgette glut! From better storage ideas to dinner party classics keep reading:
Courgette cake! Courgettes make wonderful cakes –In a bowl, beat together the 200g grated courgette (great for using up big ones), 150g sugar, 1 egg and 125ml veg oil. In a separate bowl, sift together 200g plain flour, pinch salt, half a tsp. bicarbonate of soda and quarter tsp. baking powder; stir in one tsp. cinnamon and zest from 1 lemon. Stir the mixtures together and put into a greased loaf tin. Pour the batter into the prepared tin - bake for about 45 mins at 160 C or until a knife comes out clean. - Courgette pasta. Quick, cheap and tasty. Sliced courgettes, fried with a bit of garlic and parsley, mixed with cooked pasta and some grated parmesan on top – delish!
Vegetable curry. Use whatever veg you have to hand – courgettes work really well here – to make a fantastic curry this week- Keep courgettes fresher for longer in the fridge. Wrap courgettes (works for other veg too) in kitchen paper then put them into plastic bags in the salad compartment of the fridge. They keep fresh for ages. The paper stops the condensation from softening the veg and stops mould.
- Courgette cannelloni. My own failsafe recipe here – fill cannelloni tubes with a mix of grated courgette, pine nuts and chopped mushrooms. Cover with a tasty cheese sauce and some grated cheddar, Cook for about 35 mins (until the pasta is soft) at 180 C. Superb with steamed carrots and peas.
The old favourite – ratatouille. This classic French dish has all the goodness of the Mediterranean diet. You can also adapt it and add all sorts of vegetables but especially courgettes!- BBQ kebabs. Grill sliced courgette with roast red pepper, mushrooms and onion on the BBQ or mix with marinated meat.
Glutney. A great recipe from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall for chutney, using whatever's in season. All the right ingredients are likely to be found in your kitchen- Roast dinner soup. How many servings you get out of this depends, obviously on how much you’ve got in the way of leftovers. Friends normally get 2-3 lunch sized portions out of an average roast dinners worth. If you have made stock from the bones it would be really good to use in this soup.
- Stuffed courgettes. Slice down the courgette lengthways – dig out the flesh with a spoon and mix with, 1 egg, grated cheese, and onion and re-fill. Top with extra cheese if you fancy it. Cook in the oven for 20 mins at about 180C. Serve with new potatoes and a salad. Quick, tasty and makes the most of big old courgettes, alternatively stuff with leftover bolognaise, chill, risotto – world is your oyster!
Do you have any tips or advice for using up a courgette glut? Send them to Love Food Hate Waste and we’ll get them on the website to share with others...
I’m having stuffed courgettes tonight! What will you have???
Em
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I find the best way around that problem is to pick them small! I love baby courgettes with the flowers still attached. Stuff the flowers and deep fry.
Coat diagonal slices of larger courgetts with pakoris batter (sometimes called pakora) and deep fry for 5 - 6 minutes. I have also coated sliced smaller courgettes in the batter and spooned into the hot oil to deepfry.
Serve warm and crispy with a yogurt and mint dip.
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