It's that time of the year when growing your own and eating with the seasons means every other main meal has to be one using courgettes and I discovered I'd been putting courgette recipes on here every summer since 2017 and maybe before that on my old blog.
This year Courgette number one was used in fritters, courgette two popped on top of a cheese, bacon and onion quiche and three and four used for a courgette crumble. Even the children ate this - as long as I served it up with chips!
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| I use cheddar and no pine nuts and the other courgette recipes are on last years post HERE |
Then there was a week or two without any - the cold and wet weather slowed down the outside plants and the two plants in the greenhouse produce male flowers instead - a hazard of growing inside.
Courgette number 5 was the next available and from outside and was used to make a courgette/ pesto sauce for pasta.
# 6 and 7 will be ready any minute. I'll let one turn into a Marrow later in the season so I can do Marrow, Apricot and ginger jam as that is a real favourite now as a change from marmalade.
I don't buy courgettes from supermarkets out of season so make the most of them as almost free food.
We have a good crop on the one plant I have grown this year. I had to coddle it a bit by giving it a few nights in the greenhouse when it was sulking in the cold outside, but I have 5 goodly Courgettes coming on. First nearly ready to pick.
ReplyDeleteI used to use my excess ones in Chutneys, and ratatouille, which (frozen) doubled as pizza topping and soup base.
Great idea to double up ratatouille as a pizza topping and soup base, I often make stir fry veg to use as veg soup (before adding bean sprouts to the stir fry).
DeleteI think I have only one tub of pizza topping in the freezer so could make up a batch and chuck in courgettes if I get overwhelmed
DeleteAs you know I love courgettes. I used to grow five plants on average per year and ate off them for months, prolonging their season with chutney and even freezing them, although that process does limit your choices of cooking. I love the idea of your courgette pesto! My favourite recipe is the fried courgette with apple, onion and sage which is great as a main dish with some crumbly blue cheese and crusty bread, makes a good side dish hot or cold, but most surprisingly replaces tomato sauce as a pizza topping.
ReplyDeleteI've found a recipe that uses your recipe but put into a pastry flan case. It sounds good too
DeleteI'm not growing courgettes this year but it will be the same for the cucumbers soon and my neighbours will be inundated as well as I. Can you cook cucumbers - must do some research.
ReplyDeletexx
Chilled cucumber soup is supposed e good (I don't like chilled soups though)
DeleteChilled cucumber soup is supposed e good (I don't like chilled soups though)
DeletePickled Cucumber is good
DeleteOur courgette will never get as far as producing fruits - the slugs and snails are enjoying the leaves. The tomatoes are fairly poor, too! It's a good thing we don't have to rely on what we grow!
ReplyDeleteI used to grow them when I looked after my mother's garden for her. She was very fond of them, but got even more joy out of giving them away to any visitors. I always had the feeling that some people learned to stay away during courgette season!
ReplyDeleteThere are so many ways to eat them - they used to sell well too at the smallholding
DeleteI didn't have much success my in first two years of serious gardening. But the 4 plants given to me by a lady from gardening club are really flourishing. I have found a recipe using courgette "ribbons" in salad which looks fresh and appetising.
ReplyDeleteYou are doing so well with your veg - better than me!
DeleteThere are loads of recipes on the internet for zucchini bread, cakes and savoury dishes. Aren’t courgettes and zucchini the same? I think it just depends which country you live in. I stopped growing them because one always hid and then I had a marrow to deal with - ugh - although marrow, apricot and ginger ham sounds good.
ReplyDeleteYes zucchini are courgettes or visa versa!
DeleteMy first courgette is nearly big enough for picking, I'm way behind where I should be with the veggies this year.
ReplyDeleteHope you get lots , now the weather is better my veg are finally growing except the sweetcorn - think they are a right off this year
DeleteI was having lunch with a group of church women one day in Kentucky (I was the guest speaker) one of them said, I made a terrible mistake the other day, i was downtown and didn't lock my car when I parked it. Someone asked, "How bad was it?" The answer was, "where were two bushels of courgettes on the back seat when I came back."
ReplyDeleteI think courgettes can be a much underrated vegetable - so versatile and, usually easy to grow, not growing anything this year I think they are what I miss most.
ReplyDeleteAlison in Wales x
So many recipes, so no need to just have them boiled and mushy!
DeleteWhat a wonderful sounding sauce. I've never heard of such a thing! We love our zucchini here, as well.
ReplyDeleteProlific and very edible - always useful
DeleteYour recipes are reliable and guarantee a great result. It sounds like you have a descent crop, just enough and not overwhelming.
ReplyDeleteNot overwhelming so far but you never know
DeleteMy favourite way to eat courgettes is in fritters but I don’t mind it grated into quern mince too. Catriona
ReplyDeleteThey are so useful and nice and early too
DeleteI love courgettes, still think of them as kind of exotic to grow, ie they weren’t around when I was growing up!
ReplyDeleteI generally fry them but will try your fritter recipe.
They’re also so satisfying to grow from seed - no namby-pambying about! From the minute they germinate they’re so sturdy. J’nan
Years ago everyone grew marrows but as you say courgettes are a relatively new thing
DeleteI’m in the north of Scotland so they’re only viable under cover. Thank goodness for polytunnels!
ReplyDeleteI had no idea you could do so much with a humble courgette! Thanks for all the ideas :)
ReplyDeleteMy zucchini don't even have any flowers yet!
ReplyDeleteI no longer plant zucchini as everyone tries to give them away here and I can usually get three or four no problem. Keep sharing recipes though as they always come in handy.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
They do seem to be quite plentiful. Is there any way to preserve it for the winter months?
ReplyDelete