Courgettes / zucchini - dealing with gluts of vegetables

I have just come back from a couple of days in London, visiting my daughters. I was only away for a couple of days but, already the crops are demanding that I harvest them.
Today, I have arrived home with a bag full of sweetcorn [more later], raspberries [not many but, enough to make some raspberry jam],  cooking apples [my precious Bramleys]. Last year I had very few because of the weather and the year before! [ my late harvest disappeared!] . That seems to be one of the hazards of growing on an allotment - though shameful!
I also have a large bag full of tomatoes - recipes to come!

It's amazing what a couple of days can do to a courgette crop - those fruits which were not quite ready to harvest before I went away are now almost marrow size.
This year, I have grown only yellow courgettes - two different varieties - Goldena from VegetableSeeds.com and Sunstripe F!. I prefer these courgettes as they are dryer and denser than the Zucchini types.
But, what can I do with the excess?

Using Gluts of Courgettes

Dish Ideas: -

Courgettes with Cheesy Topping – wash and dry the courgettes * trim the ends * slice the courgettes lengthways * give a light spray with olive oil and add sea salt and freshly ground black pepper * grill until the vegetable starts to soften * top with mature cheddar cheese and grill until the cheese topping starts to bubble and turn golden brown * serve with warm crusty bread.

Add to curry dishes – wash, dry and trim the courgettes * cut into 1 inch [2cm] lengths or chunks * add to curry dishes [ especially beef and lamb] for a light touch and added goodness.

Courgettes with Pasta – 

2 – 3 green or yellow courgettes – washed, trimmed and sliced

1 medium onion – peeled, halved and thinly sliced

1 – 2 green and/or red peppers – with tops and seeds removed – thinly sliced

50 gm [2 oz] black olives [with stones removed] can be sliced if preferred

4 good sized tomatoes – with skins removed and chopped

Good handful of fresh basil leaves – chopped

25gm [1 oz] approximately Parmesan cheese – grated

Sea salt and black pepper to season

1 Tblsp. good quality rape seed oil [or olive oil]

Method

·         Gently sweat the vegetables until they are cooked * add the seasoning, olives and the chopped basil.

250gm [8 oz] dried pasta OR 500gm [1 lb fresh pasta] – tagliatelle, spaghetti, fettucine, linguine, penne, conchiglioni – take you pick with what is available to you. Cook according to the instructions on the packet.

For the sauce

50gm [2oz] butter

50gm [2oz] plain flour

250ml [½ pt] milk

50gm [2 oz] mature cheddar cheese

Seasoning

·         Make a roux then add the milk gradually to create a white sauce. * Add the seasoning and the cheese and stir in until the cheese has melted.

Combine the ingredients:

·         Mix the cooked pasta with the prepared vegetables. * Add the sauce and mix in well * Sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top and grill lightly * Serve hot with crusty bread and a glass of good Italian white wine.

Pakoras

Although you can use a tempura batter, I do prefer the sublime spicy batter of Indian cooking – higher calorie perhaps but, so delicious.

You can use potatoes, courgettes, cauliflower florets, mushrooms, onions, carrots, mooli [white Asian radishes], etc

For the batter:-  100gm( 4oz) gram flour / besan flour

                           2 tsp ground cumin (jeera)

                           3 tsp ground coriander (dhania)

                           ½ tsp chilli powder

                           ½  tsp turmeric

                           ½  tsp salt

                           ¼  tsp baking soda( bicarbonate of soda)

                           Water to mix

                           Oil for frying

                          200ml water approx.

·         Mix the flour, salt, spices and baking soda in a bowl

Vegetables:     wash - potatoes – peel and cut into slices; courgettes – cut into slices and dry [press between absorbent paper or tea-towels], cauliflower – cut into smallish florets; mushrooms - cut in half; peel and cut into rings; carrots – peel and cut into batons or rings, mooli – wash and cut into rings.

·         Add the prepared vegetables and the water and mix until the vegetables are coated generously with the batter( ensuring there are no pockets of dry ingredients and that all parts of the vegetables are covered)

·         Add the coated vegetables to preheated oil in a deep-fat fryer or wok. If using a deep-fat fryer, don’t use the basket as the batter will attach to the wire.

·         Turn the pakoras over as necessary

·         Fry until the pakoras are evenly brown, then remove from the pan and drain.

Serve with a suitable dipping sauce. Chilli sauce is good.

Ratatouille – well, of course, there has to be a recipe for Ratatouille when talking about courgettes. I think probably the Zucchini [the green varieties in the UK] are more usual for this classical dish but try this recipe:

1 good sized aubergine – sliced and cut into short lengths

2 – 3 small to medium courgettes – washed, trimmed and sliced thinly

1 green and 1 red pepper – remove tops and seeds, then slice thinly

1 medium onion – peeled, halved and sliced thinly

3 – 4 cloves of garlic – peeled and crushed

4 – 6 good sized tomatoes – peeled and chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Herbs – good sprig of lemon thyme-chopped, good sprig of French tarragon- chopped, good sprig of oregano [or marjoram], good handful of basil – chopped.

1 Tblsp good quality olive oil or good quality rapeseed oil

2 Tblsp wine vinegar

Method

·         In a large pan, sweat the onions and garlic.  * Add the aubergine, courgettes, peppers and tomatoes and cook gently to produce a soft vegetable dish * Add the seasoning, herbs and vinegar to taste.

Of course there are also Courgette Fritters, Courgette potato cakes [ I do love any dish with potatoes, let me know if you would like the recipe].

Today , I put my excess crop out on my garden wall with a notice saying - Please, Help Yourself. Within a few hours [especially around the time of coming home from work] They had all gone. 

I think I will set out my over- production on my garden wall in future. Now that is a sense of achievement!