Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Eating and Drinking => Cooking, Storing and Preserving => Topic started by: mellowmick on July 13, 2006, 09:12
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Had an insomniac night last night, but as a result saw an ancient french cookery series on BBC2. Everyone seems to be saying they have tons of courgettes, so one recipe was; shred the courgettes and blanch them in a frying pan with oil with some garlic. Then beat four eggs in a bowl, add the shredded courgette and mix, then pour everything back into the frying pan and brown on each side. Looked lovely.
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Sounds nice and easy to do!
Will try this at the weekend!
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Ooh, thanks Mick, was thinking of trying that one, also perhaps courgette quiche??
But I am freezing my excesses too, and gave 6 to my friend Sharon yesterday. Tomorrow, she gets a cabbage!!! But she isn't getting any runner beans or peas, sacrilege!!!!
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brilliant recipe had it last night with shallots,garlic, 1 red pepper and tomatoes lots of black pepper and a good dollop of mayo.
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I'm up for some of that.. sounds fab. Do they freeze well? I didn't think they would.
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Hi SG. I don't know if they freeze well, because I've never grown them before to get a glut, but Iread in a book somewhere that most things will freeze, but of course thye wouldn't be any good for use in salads or anything raw, but even though they will thaaaw out and be wet, they should be okay in stews and things in the winter.
Some people say you can't freeze tomatoes or eggs, but here is a girl who has done BOTH, and used them after they thawed out!!!!
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Hi SG. I don't know if they freeze well, because I've never grown them before to get a glut, but Iread in a book somewhere that most things will freeze, but of course thye wouldn't be any good for use in salads or anything raw, but even though they will thaaaw out and be wet, they should be okay in stews and things in the winter.
Some people say you can't freeze tomatoes or eggs, but here is a girl who has done BOTH, and used them after they thawed out!!!!
Hi GA, :)
I always thought/read, anything with a very high water content wouldn't/doesn't feeze well as when they defrost the molecular structure is screwed because the water in them expands and destroys the molecular structure and turns them into mush after the defrost. Unless you have a very quick feezing process, which most home freezers don't have ( yeah I loved physics/chemistry and school :) )
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Mmmmm, I know, but then people freeze strawberries, and they are quite watery too. And you get a lot of frozen veggies, and most of them are mostly water!!
I know they won't be the same, but I'll be damned if I'm going to keep giving or throwing stuff away, when I can use it in the winter. Being out of work at the moment, I try any ways of saving stuff or using up leftovers. And I'm getting very good at recycling too.
OH is getting as bad. We have just finished putting in a new bathroom for an old family riend of his Mum. they have a council bungalow and the doors and windos have just been replaced. We had some of the old wood for our woodburner, and OH took off the old draught strips first. Then yesterday, he took them over to my friend's new house (150 years old!) and put them on her door. We are trying to renovate her kitchen on a budget of zero!!!!
Anyway, sorry off topic a bit there, but we have to try these things don't we, or we don't know if they will work or not. Like the eggs. People say you can't freeze eggs, but one book I've got said as long as you mix the white and yolk together first, its ok. So I tried it and defrosted, it looks weird, goes all thick and gooey, but once its cooked as an omelette or scrambled, it looked and tasted fine!!!
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I put some info on freezing in an article at Allotment Foods (http://www.allotment-garden.org/allotment_foods.php) which might help as it has a blanching table you can download and print out.
Courgettes don't really do too well but they are usable in a rissotto type dish after being frozen.
When we had tomatoes coming in faster than we could handle, I took to just putting them in bags and freezing. Not the best way, but they were OK for cooking and the skin came off easily.
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Courgettes grated (About 2 large ones) I cup plain flour, 1/2 cup oil, 2-3 eggs depending on size egg 1 cup grated cheese.... mix together and pour quite sloppy mixture nto a dish.... bake int eh oven until set. delicious hot or cold!
PAmela (in Spain who does not have an oven to cook this :( )
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Lol, couldn't you cook it in a frying pan and pretend its a frittata???
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there not bad on the barbi brushed with olive oil or threaded onto a skewer with chicken,onion and peppers
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I made a lovely Courgette Risotto last night... Uuuhhhmm.. yum
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We have had courgette quiche, courgette burgers, grilled courgettes, courgettes with feta, grildled courgettes, roasted courgettes - we actually look like courgettes now :D Good thing is the kids have finally succumed to them (a case of having to or starve! :D )
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The wife made me take some to the pub with us. We gave away 2. Its a start.
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Hi SG. I don't know if they freeze well
They grow 4 courgette plants - which lasts them and a few friends for the season, but they still eat a prodigious amount of courgette. As for freezing - they freeze well if fried first to a nice brown then they can be eaten as a veg in the winter. They also make lots into a soup base, which is frozen for the winter, adding the flavourings before serving (cream cheese: eg President, or that rolled stuff they call 'Gas Main' dunno why!)
Try this site for a few recipes.
http://www.cholsey.allotments.org.uk/aALLOTMENTS/alothome.html O
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Courgettes grated (About 2 large ones) I cup plain flour, 1/2 cup oil, 2-3 eggs depending on size egg 1 cup grated cheese.... mix together and pour quite sloppy mixture nto a dish.... bake int eh oven until set. delicious hot or cold! PAmela (in Spain who does not have an oven to cook this :( )
Made this last night, only difference was had a bit of roast chicken left over from the Caesar Salad they took on the picnic the night before. So put layer of the 'sloppy mixture', then a layer of chicken and pepper, then finish off with the mixture. Baked in oven for about 40 mins until set and nicely golden brown. They ate it warm with tomato and french bean salad. (I had some of the chicken - yum, my favourite).
Thanks Oliveview, a very nice dish and very useful for picnics, methinks, as it will cut in to very nice slices.
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feta fritter,
i packet feta cheese crumbled , 2 gratted and salted courgettes and leave to drain for an hour.
boil 2 potatoes for 5 mins then leave to cool then grate in to a bowl with a handful of mint. rinse and then squeeze out all moisture from courgettes add to bowl add an egg for binding mixture mix togetther all ingredients add a touch of salt and pepper you can add some spring onion if you wish then make into small flat cakes put on baking tray and cook for about 20 miutes turning once. fab with sauted potatoes tender stem and asparagus :D
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Oooh, that one sounds nice!!!!
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they are! do try it :D
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Have been using a Hugh Fearnley-W recipe for my courgettes - slice them then fry very gently in frying pan with garlic and olive oil and a dash of salt till very soft (don't let them go brown), mash them with potato masher, keep on a low heat until nearly all the moisture has disappeared, stir in a good size dollop of double cream and some grated cheese (cheddar or parmesan works well) then mix with freshly cooked pasta.
Used up 6 courgettes this way last night. Have also mixed in lightly steamed french beans and peas to the final mix for extra yumminess. This could be a good recipe if you have kids that think they don't like courgettes. :tongue2:
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Courgettes grated (About 2 large ones) I cup plain flour, 1/2 cup oil, 2-3 eggs depending on size egg 1 cup grated cheese.... mix together and pour quite sloppy mixture nto a dish.... bake int eh oven until set. delicious hot or cold!
Made this last night, only difference was had a bit of roast chicken left over from the Caesar Salad they took on the picnic the night before. So put layer of the 'sloppy mixture', then a layer of chicken and pepper, then finish off with the mixture. Baked in oven for about 40 mins until set and nicely golden brown.
There is a courgette plant on the plot that I have just taken over. I brought a couple big ones home last night and made this with the chicken in the middle. It was excellent and there is enough left to have tonight. No cooking for me :D
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I had a look in Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstalls River Cottage Cookbook, and he gave an excellent recipe for courgette bruschetta.....which we now have as a starter for every meal ( we'll miss them when they're gone ! )
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Whoops - sorry Milkman, hadn't noticed you post saying exactly the same as mine !!
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Hi
Have just signed up, looking for solutions for our rampant courgettes.
Have been making some very scrummy courgette and bacon muffins if anybody is interested?
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Great minds think alike Novice! 8)
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I have 4 plants producing like there is no tomorrow. But this evening I have planted another three! WHY you may ask? Well I intend to show them in September and the way they are at present they will have exhausted themselves - so I am playing a banker. I will let you know how things go.
I just love the taste and am eating at least three a day at present.!
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:wink: Hi my allotment neighbour gave me some of her courgettes and i made ratatouille with them.Soften onions & courgettes then add
chopped toms and simmer finally grated cheese on top DELICOUS!!!
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Chop em up in Cous Cous salads and dress all garlic'y also burn strips of them with a blow torch for the same sort of salad but burn off the skins of peppers with the blow torch as well and it will taste totaly different.
I'm blow torch mad :twisted:
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What do you do for a living hayles? arsonist???? lol
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What do you do for a living hayles? arsonist???? lol
I'm a sucker for a gadget especialy if it sparks or makes fire hehe! I'm a dab hand with an angle grinder too but not in the kitchen :lol:
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... if you get one of those scotchbrite heads for it, it will clean the glass door of your cooker better than any wallop advertised on the TV ... :lol:
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this is my first post and you'll probably think i am a bit strange but i have just taken a courgette cake out of the oven!! my 16 yr old son is stood looking at me like i have lost the plot! just need to wait for it to cool so i can add the lime cream cheese icing. will report back later after tasting it.
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... baked omelette at lunch time, but I roasted the courgettes with a little red onion first. The just bunged two beaten eggs on top and a handful of grated chedder and lots of black pepper. Now I only have 13 courgettes to eat.
It goes really well with the leftovers of last year's batch of chilli jam!
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All your recipies sound great for me being a veggie and all......Alas I am a bit of a disaster area in the kitchen and tend to burn things on a regular basis...My kids drop to their knees and plead with me not to cook if I pick them up from school when I'm off work...When I've made a real effort in the past, my eldests comment was...next time you're feeling creative..go and paint a picture....tut tut...kids are sooo honest....Any good easy recipies from anyone will be very much appreciated..I'm a veggie but my kids aren't..... :?
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Just noticed the recipes link on the site...doh.... :oops:
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My OH is now working on courgette wine (variation of marrow wine in an old cookery book we have, with recipies that start like, 'Take one pig....') to deal with my glut. Also adding them to everything - stir fry, roasted, salads etc. But need to get some decent gloves as I keep getting prickled pickig them!
I have also discovered that I don't really like asparagus peas which is really disappointing as I have grown loads for the first time this year! :(
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I have been giving carrier bags of courgettes away at work (7 plants is 6 too many), and so people have been telling me their recipes for using them up.
One I really like is Stuffed courgette/marrow - so this is when they are a small marrow and not the size of your leg from the knee down.
For this recipe you cut the marrow lengthways in half and scoop out the seeds. Drizzle with olive oil, season and pop in the oven for about 10 -15 mins till it just starts to go soft. (pour out any liquid that may have started to collect in the scooped out bit.
Mean while chop some cherry tomoatoes, basil, pitted black olives, red onion and some goats cheese, fill the marrow with this and pop back in the oven till all of this has browned a little and the cheese has melted.
Season again (freshly grond black pepper is good) and serve.
Yummy! this makes a really good starter for 2.
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I am not mad - this is really nice - cut courgette/ marrow into chip like strips, roll in a little seasoned flour. Deep fat fry.
Drain on a little kitchen roll, salt to taste and serve.
I got a few strange looks when I did this for friends but once they got over the shock of green chips and tried them they said they were really nice.
I liked them, kids might too
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green chips sound great :D can't wait to get the plot a1 for planting for next year...
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My courgette plant update. 2 dead plants (1 to Mr Mole and the other to the underground watering failing :( ) and the other two plants are rubbish- the fruits are rotting :( Oh well, at least other folk are enjoying the courgette recipe :D
Pamela
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this is my first post and you'll probably think i am a bit strange but i have just taken a courgette cake out of the oven!! my 16 yr old son is stood looking at me like i have lost the plot! just need to wait for it to cool so i can add the lime cream cheese icing. will report back later after tasting it.
Sounds lovely, any chance of a receipe??? Pretty please
Claire
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I made this the other night
Courgette Chocolate Cake. I used yellow courgettes as I think they are more difficult to detect as my husband doesn't like courgettes. Well he thinks he doesn't :twisted:
It's a beautifully moist, gooey cake and served up with cream, ice cream and some fresh rasps on the side makes a rather posh pud. Don't tell folks what's in it though til after they've scoffed it 8)
I made mine in a loaf tin. Cut it in half horizontally (obviously :lol: ) and stuffed it with buttercream (with cocoa) and dusted the top with icing sugar as it had cracked somewhat.
Courgette Chocolate Cake
4 oz butter
6oz SR flour
6 oz sugar
2 eggs
2 heaped tbsp cocoa powder, or more to taste, depending how richly chocolatey you like it
1 medium courgette, grated (I used a yellow one)
milk to mix (or hot water out the kettle)
Cream butter and sugar well (I used a foodmixer), add beaten eggs, then beat in flour and cocoa, then add grated courgette. Mix to soft dropping (180 degrees) for approx 40 minutes or so until risen and firm to the touch. Turn out and cool on wire rack.
You can ice it on the top with icing of your choice, or split it into 2 or 3 lengthways and sandwich together with chocolate butter icing; even better is Green & Black's chocolate and hazelnut spread.
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i got recipe for a chocolate and beetroot cake if any one wants to try that one :)
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i got recipe for a chocolate and beetroot cake if any one wants to try that one :)
Yes please, I am all for trying something different in the way of cakes
Claire
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I've seen that one and it looks very nice. I think it was on the Beeb site :D Just so happens my beetroots are about ready :D
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250g butter,
325g dark muscovado sugar,
4 med eggs beaten, 250g plain flour,
2 tsp baking powder,
2 heaped tbsp cocoa powder,
450g finely grated raw beetroot,
115g grated dark chocolate [70 % ]
1/2 tbsp vanilla essence.
icing sugar to decorate.
oven 180c/160c fan/350f/4 gas
butter a 23cm deep sided cake tin,
cream together butter and sugar add eggs little by little,mixing well,sift flour ,baking powder, and cocoa mix .add grated beetroot and chocolate stir well to combine add the vanilla essence.
transfer to cake tin bake for about 50-65 mins depending on oven
The colour of this cake comes out a rich chocolate-mauve its lovely jan :lol:
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Have been using a Hugh Fearnley-W recipe for my courgettes - slice them then fry very gently in frying pan with garlic and olive oil and a dash of salt till very soft (don't let them go brown), mash them with potato masher, keep on a low heat until nearly all the moisture has disappeared, stir in a good size dollop of double cream and some grated cheese (cheddar or parmesan works well) then mix with freshly cooked pasta.
Many thanks, I tried this for breakfast using 3 courgettes, as we had some double cream needed using. Rather than the pasta I had it on toast and added some pepper. Very nice.
I gave away 7 courgettes and 2 marrows at work last week, I've been frying and boiling and baking them for weeks so always on the lookout for something new to try.
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Courgettes grated (About 2 large ones) I cup plain flour, 1/2 cup oil, 2-3 eggs depending on size egg 1 cup grated cheese.... mix together and pour quite sloppy mixture nto a dish.... bake int eh oven until set. delicious hot or cold! PAmela (in Spain who does not have an oven to cook this :( )
Made this last night, only difference was had a bit of roast chicken left over from the Caesar Salad they took on the picnic the night before. So put layer of the 'sloppy mixture', then a layer of chicken and pepper, then finish off with the mixture. Baked in oven for about 40 mins until set and nicely golden brown. They ate it warm with tomato and french bean salad. (I had some of the chicken - yum, my favourite).
Thanks Oliveview, a very nice dish and very useful for picnics, methinks, as it will cut in to very nice slices.
Sounds nice and easy, I plan to try this one later for my lunchbox this week 8) Can I ask what temp you put the oven at?
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Not bad, I love the slop, so easy to mix! I stuck it in for 45mins at 180, it browned up nicely. Although I poured out the juice after grating the courgette, it is still quite moist, think I'll remove more next time.
Oh yeah, and I put chicken and pepper into the middle as suggested earlier, worked a treat :) We think we'll add a few more bits next time.
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Jannie,
I made your chocolate and beetroot cake at the weekend, it is gorgeous!! Rich, dark and yummy, I will definately be making it again. It goes down very well with a dollop of cream :lol: :lol: :lol:
Claire
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and the kids don't know that there eating beetroot :lol: not that had a problem with my son but my niece and nephew are a nightmare although i have owned up to them this weekend :) :)
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Unfortunately my 2 spotted me putting the beetroot into the cake mixture and now won't touch it! Not that we care as it means all the more for us, the girls can stick with plain choccy cake, not as nice as chocloate and beetroot :lol: :lol:
Claire
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Courgette choc chip muffins
INGREDIENTS
190 g plain flour
150 g sugar
5 g baking powder
2 g ground cinnamon
3 g salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
120 ml vegetable oil
60 ml milk
15 ml lemon juice
5 ml vanilla extract
125 g grated courgette (I used a yellow one)
50 g chocolate chips
30 g chopped walnuts
DIRECTIONS
In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Combine the egg, oil, milk, lemon juice and vanilla; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in courgette, chocolate chips and walnuts. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes
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a real simple thing to do with courgettes is to slice them very thin and dust them in seasoned flour then deep fry , drain on paper serve hot with a big dollop of tzatziki some crusty bread .
Chrissie b
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I'm going to try a carrot & courgette cake next week. Made a chocolate & beetroot one which seemed to go down well although I wasn't that keen, so worth a try.
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OH put them in a griddle pan in chunks the other day, sprinkled with basil oil, lemon juice, chilli flakes and mint, they were yum.