Courgettes - one of nature's success stories

21 January 2013

Today I only picked one courgette, however I made up for it by picking a trug full of cucumbers.  The cucumbers, both Lebanese and Telegraph are thriving in the garden that was left fallow last year, piled with old hay and manure.  With so much to harvest each day the dehydrator is almost running 24/7 and the freezer is filling up nicely (I say ‘the’ freezer somewhat loosely because we have seven of them, but I realise most people are not us.

We have eaten courgettes:

1.     Raw (see earlier blog)

2.     Lightly sautéed in a mix of butter and oil with some garlic.  When the courgettes are just tender add some fresh chopped or canned tomatoes (canned tomatoes are the only thing I concede to buying in a can) and lots of freshly chopped herbs – mint is especially nice.

3.     Battered.  Make your favourite thick batter recipe and then dip 5mm slices of courgette into it.  Gently fry the slices until they are golden, but not brown.  You want the courgettes to still be al dente.  Serve as they are or smarten them up a little with a dipping sauce.  Tartare works well as does a sweet chilli sauce.

4.  Raw

5.  Lightly sauteed  - oh that's right we had that a few nights ago.

Courgettes must be one of nature's success stories - more and more and then more!

Would you like some courgettes with that?

Sometimes things just happen.  Today I stood on the biggest pig poop imaginable.  Then I tried to rescue 11 brand new Pekin ducklings from the pond and got beaten up not once, not twice but three times by the mother duck.  Then there are times when you make something for dinner and forget to serve it.  Sometimes that is good, sometimes it is bad.

It is courgette (zucchini) season.  I repeat, it is courgette (zucchini) season.  It is the time of the year when anyone who has a garden approaches everyone else with a “would you like some courgettes?”

We enjoy them raw when they are small, so I had prepared some and then forgotten to serve them.  The next night, they were superb.  Now they are called Marinated courgettes!

Marinated Courgettes

For 6 small or 12 really small courgettes:

3T lemon juice (about that from 2 lemons)

the finely grated zest of the 2 lemons

a large pinch of salt

freshly ground black pepper

about 100 ml good quality olive oil

Whisk together the lemon juice, the zest, salt and pepper, then slowly whisk in the oil.

Slice the courgettes as thinly as possible.  Use a potato peeler or a cheese slicer.  Place the slices in a flat dish and pour over the marinade.  Cover with cling film or an up-turned plate and leave to marinate for at least an hour.  Turn the slices occasionally.

Arrange the slices on a serving dish and drizzle a little of the marinade over the top.

As I have already been out this morning and picked an armful of the things, watch this space!