Grow Your Own Magazine

Hi everyone! I've just eaten my first courgette of the season and it looks likes I'm going to have loads to follow! Does anyone have any courgette recipes? Thanks! Bernie

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Appreciate the little things in life because one day you will realise they are the big things

DDL I think there were loads of recipes on last year, but when you get fed up with everything else, try them
SWEET and SOUR

Sautee some finely chopped onion or shallot in butter along with your sliced courgette.
Add a very little liquid - stock, white wine - and steam gently until just about cooked.
Sprinkle over about a tablespoon sugar and let it dissolve over low heat.
Splash over with vinegar. Stir in some herbs if you like.

Very nice with ham or sausages. I find even adolescents who don't like vegetables like that one.

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From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.

DDL
You need that cookery book that deals with nothing but courgettes, it was a lifesaver for me last year. Managed to serve up courgettes in various guises for nearly every meal at one time, was determined not to waste a single one...

Hang on - I'll just go and find it to give you the details

Right here we are it's What Will I Do With All Those Courgettes by Elaine Borish £7.95 Fidelio press.
best wishes
Sue

Thanks - I did try looking for earlier recipes, but perhaps didn't go back as far as I should. May ask OH for the recipe book for my birthday - but got a while to wait! Bernie

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Appreciate the little things in life because one day you will realise they are the big things

Treat yourself, DDL - lets face it your family will thank you for the variety of cooking methods......

Think I have a recipe for courgette bread - will dig it out if you give me a nudge....

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Hazel
www.hazelandjanesallotment.blogspot.com
update Sat 04/10/2008......sorry, Keats......

The nicest recipe for courgettes that I know is Hugh F.W.s one for pasta sauce.
(serves 4)
1kg. courgettes
3tblspns.olive oil
3cloves garlic
50 gms.grated Parmesan(I use strong cheddar and a final grating of Parmesan)
two tblspns.double cream
Slice gourgettes and cook gently in the oil with the crushed garlic until soft break up a bit and stir in cream. Let it bubble for a minute or two then take off heat and stir in cheese.Serve with the pasta of your choice. Lovely!!

I just fry mine in butter and put them onto a piece of toast for brunch on a Sunday, let the butter soak in..... yum

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An onion can make people cry but there's never been a vegetable that can make people laugh.
Will Rogers

Hi Hazel! consider this a nudge! Thanks! Bernie PS I've got a bread making machine, so hopefully it will work.

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Appreciate the little things in life because one day you will realise they are the big things

Yum , yum everyone...... thanks for your ideas so far - keep 'em coming! My latest is chicken biryianni with added courgettes - yum! Bernie

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Appreciate the little things in life because one day you will realise they are the big things

I must have been having a bit of a 'moment', DDL, as I've just looked for courgette bread, and can't find it.

I may have been getting confused with banana bread............

Sorry about that!

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Hazel
www.hazelandjanesallotment.blogspot.com
update Sat 04/10/2008......sorry, Keats......

Thanks for the tip about the book! I've just ordered one from the Book Depository. (Hope I need it now and aren't being wildly optimistic! Lol!).

Claire

Hey all

I'm in a similar situation - great isn't it!! Seahorse I've found you can never be widly optimistic where courgettes are concerned. They're amazing - they just keep on producing, which is great. I made a Courgette Loaf Cake last night (the recipe was posted a while ago by LJ). If anyone wants a copy I've got it to hand!

Blessings and happy growing.

Squash Muppet

Don't worry about it Hazel - it happens to me all the time! Bernie

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Appreciate the little things in life because one day you will realise they are the big things

Yes please squash muppet! Bernie

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Appreciate the little things in life because one day you will realise they are the big things

Guess what I've just found in The Big Book of Bread by Anne Sheasby!

Preparation time 25 minutes plus rising Cooking time 30-35 minutes
Makes 1 large loaf (serves 12 - 14)

350g strong plain white flour
2 teasp salt
300g strong plain wholemeal flour
1 sachet fast action dried yeast
1 teasp caster sugar
few turns freshly grated black pepper
2 teasps chopped fresh thyme
280g courgettes, trimmed and freshly grated
about 300ml warm water
olive oil for brushing

Grease or flour a baking sheet and set aside. Sift the white flour and salt into a bowl, then stir in the wholemeal flour, yeast, sugar, black pepper and chopped thyme. Stir the grated courgettes into the flour mixture. Make a well in the centre then add enough water mixing to form a soft dough.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Shape the dough into a large round and place on the baking sheet. Cover and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size.
Meanwhile, preheat the over to 220C/425F/gas mark 7. Lightly brush the top of the loaf with a little oil. Bake the loaf for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 190C/375F/gas mark 5 and bake for a further 15-20 minutes, or until the bread is risen, golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped underneath. Transfer to a wire rack and cool.

You could use grated carrots in the place of courgettes. Or use finely chopped fresh rosemary or oregano in place of thyme.

Enjoy! cant wait to give this a go! Bernie

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Appreciate the little things in life because one day you will realise they are the big things

I'm rubbish at making bread from scratch - not enough patience for the kneading, I suspect - so do you reackon I could just bung it all in the breadmaker.........?

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Hazel
www.hazelandjanesallotment.blogspot.com
update Sat 04/10/2008......sorry, Keats......

Oh contraire Hazel, knocking up a loaf takes minutes, ok you have to wait for it to rise twice but you can do other things whilst its doing that.

The finished article is so much better than a bread maker too.

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Kindest regards, David.

http://pigletsplots.blogspot.com/
updated lots - Sunday 28th at 1640hrs

My hands cant cope with kneading bread these days so I bought myself a Kenwood mixer(second hand,40 quid)with all sorts of attatchements including a dough hook.This kneads my dough to perfection in about four minutes,second kneading about two minutes and perfect loaves.
It also has a mincer and a sausage stuffing thing which I plan to use for the sausages of my dreams!
When my children were young I made bread once a week in a baby bath(ten pounds of flour at a time)and cooked it in a field oven.Happy days.

I swear by my breadmaker - never organised enough to do it the proper way sadly!

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All at once I hear your voice
And time just slips away
Bonnie Rait

One of my favourite ways of doing them is to grill them sliced in half lengthways with the seeds removed, then stuff them with a mixture of just about anything that takes your fancy. Cheese and tuna, savoury rice, ham and tomatoes are all things I've tried.

Sometimes I season the courgette a bit before roasting depending on whats going in it. Stuff them back under the grill for a few minutes to finish them or melt any cheese etc. Yum!

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Veni, Vidi, Velcro.
I came, I saw, I stuck around.

Thanks Doc! Do you know I never thought of that! (even though I know you can stuff the "grown up" marrows!) Bernie

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Appreciate the little things in life because one day you will realise they are the big things

Well, look what I've found, so I thought I would share it with you....
Taken from The Allotment Gardeners Cookbook by Ann Nicol.

Keeps for up to a week. Makes a 900g/2lb loaf.

1 large egg
125ml sunflower oil
175g courgettes, washed and trimmed
150g wholewheat flour
1/2tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
175g soft, dark brown sguar
75g sultanas
75g walnuts, chopped

Preheat thw oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Grease and line the base of a 2lb loaf tin with non stick paper.

Beat the egg and sunflower oil together in a jug. Grate the courgettes into a large bowl, using a medium sized grater. (or food processor! )

Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarb of soda and spices into the bowl and stir in the sugar, sultanas and walnuts. Pour in the oil and egg from the jug and mix to a thick bater. Pour into the prepared tin.

Bake for around an hour, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack and cool. Store in a cool place for up to a week.

This cake can be frozen - when the cake is cool, wrap tightly in foil. It will keep for 2 months. Leftover slices and be frozen, separated and wrapped in cling film. To use defrost at room temperature for 2 hours. Use a really sharp knife when cutting the cake.

Really fancy giving this a go! Bernie

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Appreciate the little things in life because one day you will realise they are the big things

Taken from The Allotment Gardener's Cookbook by Ann Nicol.

Serves 4

2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 large onion chopped
1" piece root ginger, peeled and grated
1 clove garlic, chopped
6 cardamom pods, crus