Courgette or marrow jam is a pleasant solution to a courgette glut.
courgette-glut
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds courgette or marrow deseeded – in skin unless very tough- chopped
- 6 lemons – sliced really thinly with skin
- 2 pounds preserving sugar
Method:
- Place chopped cougette/marrow in pan with finely sliced lemons
- Add cold water so that the mixture is only just covered
- Cook the mixture very gently until it is really soft
- Add the preserving sugar & simmer gently, stirring all the while, until the sugar is dissolved
- Turn the heat up and boil rapidly until setting point is reached
- Setting point will be reached when a small drop of the mixture solidifies when it touches a cold plate
- Pour the courgette / marrow jam into warmed, sterilised jars & seal
The abundance of courgettes in the vegetable garden prompts the search for more innovative recipes! Elaine Borish has written a book called “What will I do with All Those Courgettes?”
We enjoy our own recipe for courgettes on toast:
Add some crushed garlic to hot olive oil in a pan. Stir in 4 or 6 chopped courgettes. When sizzling gently, put the lid on the pan and turn off the heat. After 10 minutes place on buttered toast. Chopped bacon fried before adding the courgettes is a good variation!
Waitrose have a delicious, quick and easy courgette tagliatelle recipe.
Squash are classified as Summer or Winter Squash, depending on how long the fruit will store.
giant-pumpkin
It is useful to be able to grow both summer and winter squash to add variety in the kitchen.
Mildew in courgettes shortens the growing season.
mildew-on-courgette-leaf
The courgette Venus F1 hybrid has succumbed to courgette and has died very quickly.
mildewed-courgette-plant
The courgette Dundoo F1 is tolerant to powdery mildew and is still looking well, & producing courgettes, although it is planted next to a Venus which is covered in mildew spores.
mildew-resistant-courgette
The Dundoo courgette plants have given huge yields of glossy, dark green courgettes. As well as being mildew tolerant it has the added advantage of a large open bush habit which makes picking easy.
Although mildew has shortened the season in the Venus courgettes, the Dundoo season continues & will be prolonged by covering it with a cloche to protect from the frost.
Plant courgettes in open soil, on a mound.
Courgettes do well when planted on raised mounds of open, fibrous
material, such as compost, leaf mould or strawy manure dug into the soil
to keep it open.
CourgettePlant-on-hill
Squash are various tendril-bearing plants of the genus Cucurbita.
Squash are usually eaten as a vegetable, although botanically they are fruit.
Squash have:
* a creeping vine with five-lobed leaves and tendrils
courgette-plant
* large, unisexual, yellow flowers
courgette-flowers
* fleshy edible fruit with a leathery rind
There are two types of squash, which differ according to how long the fruit will store.
- Summer squash is less mature and smaller, and will not store long. Courgettes & zucchinis are examples of summer squash.
courgette
- Winter squash is more mature and can be kept and eaten at a later date. Spaghetti squash, acorn squash and pumpkins are examples of winter squash.
pumpkins
late-courgette-flower
If you pick the flowers do you sacrifice the courgette?
Once the flower has been pollinated it has fulfilled its function and
will drop off, so you don’t need to worry that picking the flower will
sacrifice the courgette. You can have both the flower and the courgette!
The courgettes are growing well.
growing-courgette
The courgettes almost need cutting twice a day now as they are growing so quickly.
This marrow flower is a great example of how flowers attract insects.
The flowers are:
* very large – with huge petals
insects-on-marrow-flower
* brightly coloured
marrow-flower-centre
* yellow
guiding-lines
* open – with guide lines to the center of the flower, which attract the insects down the petals to the flower centre.
Courgette flowers are so beautiful, we often forget to eat them.
courgette-flowers
This Vegetable Soup is quick and easy to make. Use the Courgette Flowers
as soon as they are picked.
*Serves 4-6
*30-40 courgette flowers
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 tbsp oil
2 large tomatoes (about 300g), peeled and chopped
salt and pepper
1.5 – 2 litres chicken stock
sour cream to serve
*Method
*Put 6 flowers aside for garnish
Split the courgette flowers lengthways in half and pick out the stamens.
Remove the spiky bits from around the outside of the flower base and
separate the flowers from the stalks
Chop the flowers roughly
Strip the stalks as if peeling celery and chop roughly
Soften the stalks with the onion in the oil then add the tomatoes and
cook, stirring, till thick
Add the chopped flowers, and salt and pepper to taste
Pour in the stock and simmer for about 15 minutes
Blend the soup till smooth
Serve with a dot of sour cream & a courgette flower on top
3courgetteflowers
