Allotments 4 All
General => The Shed => Topic started by: MikeB on July 30, 2006, 22:16:47
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I never was that keen on courgettes, but expanding my repertoire this year I decided to grow them. I have 3 plants and at the moment I'm harvesting about 4 courgettes a day, now I have found 20 odd recipes (which I have added to the wiki), but all of them make the courgette the main item and the courgette itself is a tasteless lump. For example, put the sliced courgettes into a baking dish, cover with grated cheese and sprinkle with black pepper, cook in oven for 30 minutes. This actually taste OK, but it is the cheese and pepper that have the taste, the courgette is a waste of space, this dish would be better with potato, at least the potato has a flavour of its own. The other thing is who wants to eat courgettes every day? Once a fortnight maybe, so is it worth growing? I don't think so and this year is my first year of growing aubergine, I'm picking 4 a week, they must be first cousin to the courgette.
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I have them with my fry-up breakies, my wife goes arrgh! ::) when she see me do this but I quite like them fried with a sprinkle of mixed herbs. ;D
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Dieter's friend, courgettes ;)
4 aubies a week, Mike? Oh, I wish !!!
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*lol at the thought of growing something that you were 'never that keen on'*
Hello Mike: before you behead your courgettes as good for nothing, have you tried harvesting them very young? With the flowers still on them, four inches or so long...
Like many young veg they have the most flavour at that stage (and yes, courgettes do have a flavour of their own!) - they're so tender that they steam or boil in a minute. I eat them raw when they're as young as that. If you still don't like them, then it's just that you don't like courgettes -- just think of all that space you'll have next year to grow things you love!
Do you really think they have no flavour? I'm gobsmacked! I demolished some left over from the kids' supper (Mr Triffid's idea of portion control is two helpings of everything for everyone at the table! ;D) and they were delicious and so sweet. (variety = Tosca)
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We had two, sliced up and shallow fried in olive oil, to accompany our cottage pie. Even my daughter went back for seconds, I had to fight her for the remaining courgettes (we shared them).
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and deep fried, tempura style: the lovely crispy batter on the outside and the melting innards with just a hint of resistance as you bite through the skin.... ;D ;) ;D
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*lol at the thought of growing something that you were 'never that keen on'*
OH said she liked them, until they appeared everyday.
them very young? With the flowers still on them, four inches or so long...
Like many young veg they have the most flavour at that stage (and yes, courgettes do have a flavour of their own!) - they're so tender that they steam or boil in a minute.
Do you really think they have no flavour?
Yes I think they are tasteless, variety - defender, as recommended by A4A members at the beginning of the year.
We had two, sliced up and shallow fried in olive oil, to accompany our cottage pie. Even my daughter went back for seconds, I had to fight her for the remaining courgettes (we shared them).
So, cottage pie every night? The point is you don't always want a meal that courgettes go with every night of the week. :D
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and deep fried, tempura style: the lovely crispy batter on the outside and the melting innards with just a hint of resistance as you bite through the skin.... ;D ;) ;D
It was the oil that gave it the flavour, a combination of vegetable and sesame oil :D
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Reminds me, last year, just as a friend's plants were just starting produce, he had the first 2 stolen from his lottie - another week and he was trying hard (and unsuccessfully) to give them away ;D
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Flavour maybe, but for me the winner is the texture contrasts between the crisp batter and ...... melting courgette! ;D
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Ooooh yum *tempura courgettes and dipping sauce*
*crawls away drooling*
:P
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Flavour maybe, but for me the winner is the texture contrasts between the crisp batter and ...... melting courgette! ;D
mega drool!
(http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e220/supersprout/smilies/drool.gif)
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My family so like to eat my courgettes stuffed with a savoury minced meat recipe I do, I've been press-ganged into to providing a platter of them at the annual Clan gathering next month 8)
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Mike - aubs - you think that they have a taste?? Woolly oil sponges!!
But when did you sow to be eating them now?
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My family all love courgettes. They're extremely versatile and can be used raw or cooked. I would say if you don't like them don't grow them. I don't grow celery for that very reason. Too many diets in the past I guess. ;D ;D ;D
Come to think of it I don't eat much cottage cheese these days either! ;D
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But when did you sow to be eating them now?
5th March, variety - Nada, according to my notes I sowed a 2nd batch on the 18th, so maybe the first lot died.
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To be fair, one of the most wonderful things I have found about having an allotment, is to be able to grow a whole range of vegetables (and fruit) that I have never had before, including varieties that never appear in the shops or markets for various reasons. Staying on the topic of courgettes, I have found through trial and error that my favourite are Jemmer - a yellow fruit with a touch of sweetness and there is definitely flavour there. I do accept Mike's inference though, that courgettes may not be to everyone's taste, like grawrc, I have the same dislike of celery.
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Aaah, thanks Mike - ours were 26/3.
Taste - adore Celery but French Beans? - just mouth-feel!
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Just goes to show how different people's palates are, Tim: my Purple Teepee French beans were one of last year's lottie delights!
I must make note about Jemmer, Curry -- was wondering about growing a yellow courgette next year. Thanks for the recommendation! :)
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There are many varieties of yellow courgette, triffid, but Jemmer is the only one I have tried. If you can get any spare seed from neighbours, then you may wish to compare, although most gardeners agree that too many courgette plants can be a real embarrassment, and leads to losing friends rapidly :D
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;D @ idea of too many courgettes
My kids did the seeds for mine this year: there were 10 in the pack and I was so glad when only 7 came up!
I freecycled quite a few of leftover perishable seeds earlier this year. Can't remember though how long courgette seeds stay viable for... do you know?
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I don't grow them; I don't like the things. It's not compulsory.
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I don't grow them; I don't like the things. It's not compulsory.
Wonderful reply, Robert ;D ;D ;D
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Perfectly put Robert!
Used to grow them, always had a glut, now don't grow them.
Easy!
CLx
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We're in the middle of a glut too, but can usually find something to do with courgettes.
I've just bottled a big pan full of Greek style vegetable stew which used up 7 courgettes (and 8 patty pan squashes too). We'll be eating briam all through winter without buying expensive out-of-season veg from the supermarket. It goes great with any meat or fish, or as a snack on its own. I'll probably be making more this week.
I got a recipe for marrow chutney from a friend of mine, which also has apples, sultanas, raisins and spices in it. makes a really nice spiced chutney, and you can use courgettes in the recipe instead. There is one pronounced side effect however - a strong desire to buy large chunks of cheddar or wensleydale to eat it with ;D ;D ;D
Another friend of mine likes to cut them in half, top them with sage and onion stuffing, wrap them in tin foil and cook in the oven or on the barbie. He can't get enough of them!!! :P
If you are having a barbie, cut a courgette lengthways into slices (about 4 from an average courgette). Marinade in olive oil, garlic and some dried oregano for at least 30 minutes. Cook on the barbie for a couple of minutes on either side until they are slightly browned - then tell me thet courgettes have no flavour ;) You can do them on the griddle as well.
Tricia :-*
p.s. It might be a glut, but that glut only lasts for a couple of months. Try to find ways of preserving them (or things you make with them) for the other ten. A freezer is the easiest, but bottling is easy when you get the hang of it.
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I actually like courgettes and have a whole host of recipes and preserving methods all lined up for my much awaited glut. However, I'm the only person on this site who is so rubbish at gardening that I haven't yet got a single one! Most narked!
Hey well, it's the enthusiasm that matters, surely! ::) ;D
What's the opposite for "green fingered"?
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I must make note about Jemmer, Curry -- was wondering about growing a yellow courgette next year. Thanks for the recommendation! :)
Glad they've been recommended - I'm growing Orelia and they started off well, producing lots of lovely little courgettes, but now I'm getting nothing except withered brown stumpy bits. I've bought Jemmer seeds for next year.
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I'm the only person on this site who is so rubbish at gardening that I haven't yet got a single one! Most narked!
Close behind you leggy, I have had three so far cos they were planted late. And I love courgettes too, crunch up the round ones like apples :P
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Not compulsory. Robert? Should be. Great discipline!
French Beans - qualifying what I said - home grown ones do taste of french bean but I'm not keen on the flavour!! Great as a foil though.
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I love courgettes, as a hippy vegetarian, they are a staple throughout the winter months, in veggie lasagnes and mousakas etc.
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I like courgettes too. This is my first time growing them and I am wondering if I'll have the same glut experience. It almost seems like a right of passage!
I like aubs aswell. I grew Mohican last year in the conservatory. Think they were mohican. They were white and egg shaped. They were lovely! I haven't got any this year,time passed me by and I forgot to sow any :(
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Adore Aubs - adore Moussaka! Didn't get any in this year though due to the move. CLx
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There might be a couple when you visit? Can't promise!
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Ah ha! Have to visit the quack in not too distant...
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The best thing about having a glut is being able to give them away to friends and neighbours!You freecycled the seeds, why noy freecycle the fruits!
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I have grown an ordinary Zucchini and Orelia and the Orelia have definitely been the more popular in our house, even my boys who are not courgette fans have been eating them, they are so much sweeter than the green ones. I can really recommend them.
I went away for a week, having stripped the plants bare and came back to 10 huge marrow sized courgettes, they have grown so quickly, I have been searching out marrow chutney and ginger jam to make tomorrow.
And my plums are ready, and gooseberries and currants - I am going to be so busy..... It's lovely!
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I could grow them to distraction - love the plants, always have. As a child it was marrows that got me growing veg in the first place, and to me there's nothing like the partnership of runner beans and baked buttered marrow with bechamel sauce...
I was a bit late to courgettes - still prefer marrow - but you can do a lot with the courgettes. I grate them into coleslaw, cube them and open freeze them so I can get free-flowing bags for instant veg in the winter, slice or cube and cook into ratatouille, saute in butter... failing that, I can leave them in the kitchen at work and they vanish magically!
moonbells
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I love courgettes - one of my favourite ways is to add them to a tomato pasta sauce just after frying the onions and garlic then add tins of tomatoes, wine, tom purree and mixed herbs and let it cook slowly for an hour or so until it's thickened - I made a big batch of this last week and froze portions - lovely
When I was in greece earlier in the year I had some fantastic courgette fritters - I'm sure they had a bit of feta cheese in but when I tried to recreate the recipe they all fell to bits
any ideas? any good courgette fritter recipes out there?
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love the plants, always have. As a child it was marrows that got me growing veg in the first place
snap :D
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Another 2 beautiful Rondo de Nizza today. Unfortunately I had left my knife at home so they will probably be football size tomorrow. ::) :o ;D
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I never cut mine, just give them a twist ...
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Tried that but they weren't for moving. :(
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Had another two Jemmer, thinly sliced and fried gently in olive oil. They were so delicious I took a picture and posted it in the Show Board, under Courgettes :)
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I would like to announce that after all my grumbling (sorry... :-[) the blessed courgettes had some tiny, tiny baby fruits on them yesterday. ;D
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Has anyone tried george foreman grilling them.... delicious!
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I actually like courgettes and have a whole host of recipes and preserving methods all lined up for my much awaited glut. However, I'm the only person on this site who is so rubbish at gardening that I haven't yet got a single one! Most narked!
Hey well, it's the enthusiasm that matters, surely! ::) ;D
What's the opposite for "green fingered"?
I would like to announce that after all my grumbling (sorry... :-[) the blessed courgettes had some tiny, tiny baby fruits on them yesterday. ;D
Not the only one bennettsleg. Out of about 15 plants, I have only one left and it has only got four very small fruits so far.
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I've 4 plants and so far have had two courgettes only :'(
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I would say if you don't like them don't grow them.
Point taken, although it was hard throwing my 4 Aub plants on the compost heap, here's a picture of one of them. The largest Aub is about 8" long.
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Wow, Mike what a beautiful plant - mine has only just set its first fruit, I can only dream ... why exactly was it heading for the compost heap ??
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why exactly was it heading for the compost heap ??
I find them totally tasteless, like courgettes, will use the space next year to grow more peppers in. If you would like some seeds, pm me your address.