How to Use Courgettes in Cooking

A Guide to Using Versatile Vegetables to Make Tasty Dishes

© Jayne Elliott

Sep 4, 2009

In Britain the courgette really comes into its own around June and lasts through until early October. For the rest of the year Spanish imports, which are a darker green, can be found in all supermarkets.

The orange flower of a courgette can also be eaten and is delicious stuffed and fried or baked.

Preparing Courgettes for Cooking

1. Allow 100g per person as a side vegetable.
2. Courgettes are best when they are small and hard.
3. Trim both ends of the courgette and then wash or use a knife to scrape away any blemishes.
4. Peel strips of skin from the sides of courgettes, then slice into discs, or on a diagonal for an oval shape.

Cooking Tips

1. Steam, fry or eat raw thin strips of courgettes or ribbons.
2. Cut off a thin layer of skin and flesh to make a courgette lay flat.
3. Cut courgettes lengthways and season, and brush with olive oil. Grill until they start to brown.

Jayne's Ribboned Courgette Salad

Difficulty: Easy

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• Handful of coriander leaves, chopped.
• 350g courgette's
• 2 tablespoons of pine kernels
• 4 tablespoons of sultanas
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
2. Trim the courgettes and shave into ribbons.
3. Toast the pine kernels until lightly browned.
4. Mix the sugar with vinegar and olive oil.
5. Combine the courgettes, pine kernels, sultanas and coriander with the dressing.
6. Put into a serving bowl and leave in the fridge to marinate. Remove for an hour before serving.

Herb an Cheese Courgettes

Difficulty: Easy

Preparation and Cooking Time: 18 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 medium courgettes
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary or mint
• 1 chopped onion
• 50g white bread crumbs
• 225g cottage cheesecloth
• 2 eggs, beaten

Method:

1. Cut the courgettes in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds. Steam the courgette shells for five minutes.
2. Fry the onion gently and take of the heat. Mix in the cheese, eggs, bread crumbs, herbs and lemon juice.
3. Put the mixture in the courgette shells and grill for eight minutes. Serve immediately.

Courgette Cake

This is a tasty alternative to carrot cake and is very popular in Australia.

Preparation Time: 15-20 minutes

Cooking Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 250g butter

• 250g caster sugar
• 4 eggs
• 350g self-raising flour
• Juice and zest of 1 an orange
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
• 350g courgette, grated
• 50g walnuts, roughly chopped
• 80g sultanas

• 125g cream cheese
• 50g unsalted butter
• 300g icing sugar
• juice and zest of 1/4 orange

Method:

1. Grease and line a deep cake tin with baking paper. Preheat an oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
2. Put the butter and sugar in a bowl and beat until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time while mixing.
3. Sieve the flour with the cinnamon and mixed spice. Fold in some flour, followed by 1/2 of the orange juice and zest, repeat this using the remaining flour and orange, so that all the ingredients are well combined.
4. Stir in the courgette, walnuts and sultanas.
5. Pour the mixture into the cake tin and cook for around one hour or until firm. Turn the cake out on a rack and allow to cool.
6. To make the icing, beat the cream cheese and butter together until creamy. Gradually add the icing sugar and orange juice and zest until you have a smooth creamy icing. Spread over the cake.

Courgette Chips

Print Article

View All Articles

How to subscribe to feeds