Versatile, easy to grow and low in calories, there's more to the courgette than being a staple in ratatouille or veggie lasagne.
A bit about courgettes
The general belief is that they were first brought to Europe from the Americas and that they descend directly from squashes, which have bee cultivated in Central America for thousands of years.
Courgettes thrive in the UK; the season peaks in the August heat, giving way to thicker-skinded cousins such as squashes and pumpkins in October when the first frosts of autumn appear. For the gardening enthusiast they're a good choice to grow because they keep producing if you cut the courgettes before they grow to marrow size.
Nutritional content and health benefitsCourgettes are 90% water, low in calories and fat. They contain vitamins A and C, plus folate and potassium.
Choosing and cooking courgettesCourgettes don't keep for long (up to five days in the fridghe), which is another good reason why you should grow your own (see our tips on growing a vegetable garden here).
If you're buying them, go for smaller, younger courgettes – they have more flavour – and make sure they're firm to the touch with smooth skins. They need a good wash, and their ends trimming, and some people prefer the peel them too (though it's only the older, larger courgettes that really require it).
Courgettes can be baked, fried, griddled, roasted, steamed and stewed and are great in salads. You can even make
chips from them.
Stuffed courgette flowers – a typical Italian dish – are becoming more popular in in the UK. Female flowers bloom into the vegetable but the male flowers are there just to look pretty so utilise these buttercup-coloured flowers by stuffing them with soft cheese, then covering them in a light batter (such as a tempura) and deep-frying them – delicious, though not exactly figure-friendly.
Courgette facts- Courgettes are, in fact, small marrows and are members of the same family as cucumbers and watermelons.
- Italians and Americans call them zucchinis.
- Courgettes are a popular component of Mexican cuisine.
Some delicious. courgette recipes
Salads
Mediterranean vegetable salad recipe
If you want to prepare this summer salad in advance - make the dressing
and pour it into a serving bowl, then put all the ingredients on top
and only toss it together when you want to eat.
Courgette, fennel, potato and lemon salad recipe
This is a great dish for a barbecue. In fact, even if you don’t
fancy eating outdoors, it makes a lovely accompaniment to a summer
roast.
Courgette som tam recipe
This would be lovely as part of a spread, Thai-style, but it also goes
very well with grilled fish or chicken as a light meal.
In pasta, pies, curry and pilaff
Pasta with courgettes, creme fraiche and bacon recipe
Pasta can be the base for just about any savoury ingredient - we love this easy, creamy recipe.
Roast vegetable and houmous pie recipe
The sweet potato layer in this vegetarian pie base absorbs the steam
released from the baking vegetables, thereby keeping the pastry crisp.
And it costs less than £5 to make.
Green Thai curry with greens recipe
Give your greens some gusto with this vegetarian Thai curry sauce mixed with broad beans, courgettes and asparagus.
Courgette and pumpkin seed rice recipe
This is incredibly easy – a sort of cheat’s pilaff, adapted from my
favourite cookbook of the moment: Rose Prince’s New English Kitchen.
The original is made with aubergines instead of courgettes, and you
could mix and match them.
With fish
Sardines, courgettes and yellow pepper recipe
Why don't we eat more fresh sardines in this country? They swarm
happily around Devon and Cornwall and are tasty, inexpensive and good
for you. Get the fishmonger to scale and fillet the sardines if you
can't.
These crispy courgette chips are covered in batter and deep fried
before being tossed with grated Italian cheese. You may find the humble
courgette going up in your estimation when you try this very quick and
easy side dish. This is perfect served with grilled sea bass.