Zucchini and Courgettes

I’ve grown two varieties of Zucchini this year, an F1 Black Jack type called Nitro and a beautiful white striped pale green variety called ‘Bush Baby’. Both have high resistance to powdery mildew which more often than not cuts short the cropping season of older varieties of Zucchini at this time of year. My plants are showing no sign of mildew as I write this note in the second half of March.

My grandchildren “hate Zucchini” which I was cooking when they came for lunch not long ago. I patiently explained to them that they were silly duffers as what I was cooking were courgettes not zucchini.

This is my recipe for courgettes/zucchini.

Cut the courgettes into slices about 1/3rd of a millimetre thick. Lay them out in the sun on a bread board or two for couple of hours. Turn them over and leave them for another two hours in the sun. I cover them with an insect proof cloth.

Bring the slices inside where they can be cooked straight away or put in the fridge until later. They will be alright the next day even.

Pour good quality extra virgin olive oil to cover the base of a heavy stainless steel fry pan and heat the oil so that when a courgette slice is put in it sizzles. Lay as many slices in the pan that will fit without overcrowding and cook until they turn light brown and quickly turn them. Cook the other side. This operation takes about a minute. Be careful not to burn the courgettes.

Take them out of the pan and sit on kitchen paper. Put them into a dish and sprinkle a very few drops of good quality white wine vinegar over them and a very light touch of salt. Repeat until all the courgettes are cooked.

If you can get them to the dinner table before they’re all scoffed then you’ve done well.