Topic: Oversize Courgettes

[Jeannine]

They are both summer squash, both from the same family, will happily cross together. Even seed sellers call marrows large courgettes in some placesThe  whole definition of courgettes, squash, pumpkin etc is so difficult as the descriptions cross over depending on what continent you live on.

A courgette is a zuchinni, a pumpkin is a squash,  as squash is a pumpkin, a marrow is a courgette ,a pattypan is a squash, a pattypan is a round courgette..

All the above are accurate is different countries.

XX Jeannine

[Vinlander]

For me the key difference between courgette and marrow is the transition between the waxy/oily texture of a courgette and the watery texture of a marrow.

This happens to all the squash/pumpkin species and it seems to be associated with a dramatic change of flavour - though my favourites are the immature pumpkins which have a kind of hazelnutty edge to them.

The transitions seem to take place at a vaguely similar fraction of the final length for each type.

However in my experience, courgettes that have grown fast and early in the season seem to retain their courgette characteristics to a larger size.

This means a well-grown 35cm courgette picked now might be fine in normal courgette recipes, whereas a similar sized one in late September would be a (relatively useless) marrow to all intents and purposes, and so would one picked now from a plant that had been starved of light, food and/or water.

Hope this helps - though it doesn't change the fact that picking at the right size is still best...

Cheers.

[AdeTheSpade]

I made the most YUMMY courgette cake yesterday - it's fab! ;D

[pigeonseed]

I really like marrow actually. A lot of people don't because they find it watery and the texture is different - but to me that's a positive - it's very fresh-tasting. I like courgettes as well, but why not enjoy both!

There are some lovely Middle Eastern recipes for marrow as well as courgette and pumpkin - I've got the Claudia Roden book and the stuffed vegetable pages are all food-spattered - a sure sign of useful recipes!

And I think any Indian or other Asian recipes for bottle gourd/lauk/dudhi work quite well with marrow.

[shirlton]

Made the chutney on saturday and froze it in patty tins so that I can get portions out when I want to and they won't take very long to thaw if they are in small portions................................Thanks crystalmoon

[Digeroo]

I also find that for some varieties if you eat it quickly you can use is as a courgette but if you leave it around some of the seeds begin to harden and go rubbery.

The squash Trometto D'Albenga is lovely at any size and does not go watery. 

[caroline7758]

I made this soup yesterday as I had a glut of large courgettes and basil, and it was lovely. Could be eaten cold but cold soup never seems right to me!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/italianstylezucchini_9833

[mickrandall]

I have used oversized courgettes very successfully in jam following a marrow and ginger recipe.

[GREGME]

The squash Trometto D'Albenga is lovely at any size and does not go watery.

Hi this is probably the best variety tip I have picked up on here- if you can cope with the trailing this one gives you everything- small courgettes or large squash with flavour that store so the glut is manageable.

[Slugcrusher]

Yeah turn your back on them and when you look again they are the size of marrows
Last years glut got transformed into curd with the help of some lemons, it was gorgeous and the samples at our autumn show never made it back.

[Digeroo]

curd with the help of some lemons

   Sounds lovely any chance of the recipe.

[Borlotti]

Managed to give 5 away to someone walking past the allotment yesterday, and tonight made a very, very large pan of soup.  Added some frozen vegs from the freezer to the soup, and it tastes OK.  Only got 10 courgettes left, until tomorrow.  May have to compost some, or maybe open a soup kitchen. 

[Paulh]

I grow marrows and courgettes. No doubt they are botanically the same but they have different characteristics, perhaps like eating and cooking apples.

Marrows we bake and stuff with a mince sauce.

Oversize courgettes you could do the same, but I think they do not have the same taste or texture as marrows. We instead use them in soup or ratatouille which can be frozen.

Marrows will keep for a few weeks because of their tougher skins, large courgettes I have found do not last as long.

Whatever, I enjoy them all!

[royforster]

Jeannine it is spelled "zucchini"
As for a courgette turning in a marrow. That will never happen unless you know a good genetic engineer.

Again your posts are not helpfull - please moderate your language and behaviour.

Plainleaf, I think your just plain wrong. In French a courge is a marrow and a courgette is a small (i.e. immature) marrow. Therefore they are the same. The English word courgette is borrowed from French.

[ACE]

My mother used to make marrow and ginger jam. As a large courgette is really a marrow it would do as a substitute. 

[plotstoeat]

Most of our biggees go into soup but my wife has made the cake and it is good. Today I made a type of caponata using courgette instead of aubergine. It was great with flat bread pockets.

garlic
chillis
celery
red onion
leek
half a big courgette
lots of mint and basil
red wine vinegar
tbsp of plum sauce

just render it down with olive oil but keep some texture. Eat hot or cold.

[Jeannine]

If anyone is still looking for ideas I have just re booted an old thread that I gave the recipe for a pie filling that tastes EXACTLY like apple, I kid you not  XX Jeannine