Courgettes
Courgette is a tender, mild vegetable with a gently sweet, green flavour. It works well in stir-fries, soups and bakes, and it’s also delicious raw as thin ribbons or grated into salads.
Latin name: Cucurbita pepo
Origin: Central America (species origin), later bred and widely adopted in Europe
Description
Courgette is the young, immature fruit of a squash plant. It’s most commonly green, though yellow varieties are also available. Because it’s harvested young, the skin is thin and edible and the flesh is juicy and soft. Courgette has a naturally mild taste and readily absorbs herbs and other flavours.
In the kitchen
Courgette pairs well with garlic, lemon, basil, mint, oregano, thyme, tomato, peppers, aubergine, goat’s cheese and nuts. You can fry, grill, roast or stew it, and it’s great in pasta, risotto and curries. Raw courgette is lovely as ribbons with olive oil and lemon, or finely grated into a salad. When frying, use a hot pan so it browns rather than steams in its own moisture.
Storage & preparation
Store courgettes cool and dark, ideally in the fridge’s vegetable drawer, and use within a few days. Wash just before using and trim off the stem end; peeling is usually unnecessary. Larger courgettes can contain more seeds and moisture—remove the soft centre if you want a firmer result. Courgette is also excellent for stuffing and baking in the oven.
