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Oh NO, It's Zucchini Time

22-Aug-2007 by shantihhh

Zucchinis galore: Be Creative

I think it was Nikko here that mentioned the zucchini day recently. Well, it is that time of year when I leave "presents" of zucchinis on neighbour door steps. It is a wonderful vegetable but it just grows and grows like crazy in the summer heat. So what to do with them?

Every year when I plant my garden I plant a few of zucchini types, an Eight Ball, a Papaya Squash, and some Zuchetta our favourite as it tastes like artichoke hearts and doesn't get mushy so it is perfect in curries.

There's no denying the appeal of zucchini for gardeners. They grow almost anywhere under less than ideal conditions, take untold amounts of abuse, and still churn out impressive quantities of vegetables weeks before the tomatoes, eggplant and pole beans are ready for harvest.

Still, around August, the relationship between plant and gardener begins to sour. Encouraged by warm summer days, the zucchini type squash goes crazy and you can literally watch them grow. Suddenly, you can't pick the prolific vegetables fast enough, and the delicate little green cylinders you miss amid the umbrella of leaves seem to turn into baseball bats overnight. Friends and neighbors slink away when they see you coming for fear you may try to foist more of your surplus on them.

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It's no wonder that "Sneak Some Zucchini on Your Neighbors' Porch Day," a tongue-in-cheek holiday invented by a Pennsylvania couple and now included in Chase's Calendar of Events, has caught gardeners' imaginations. The Aug. 8 holiday is long past, however, and the zucchini keep producing.

What we need right now are some new ways to cook zucchini. The simple steaming, grilling, and stir-frying techniques that were so appealing at the beginning of summer just don't cut it anymore. You become bored with this prolific vegetable for sure. However it is a great canvas for other flavours like garlic, feta, etc.

One of my favourite ways to use the zucchinis is to grate them and make Greek Pancakes.

Greek Pancakes (Kolokythia Krokettes)

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For the batter 2 cups grated zucchini - I mixed 3 large eggs, ~6 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup plain yogurt, and feta cheese, some salt, and freshly ground black pepper, 1 1/2 teaspoon of fresh chopped mint

I squeezed the grated zucchini in a kitchen towel to remove any excesse liquid, then combine with the batter. Fry in just a little spray of olive oil, turn when crisp.

And I served them with herb (mint or Greek Kalateri oregano which is a little spicy)

Greek Fage Non-fat yogurt sauce.

There are many cakes and breads made with grated zucchini, but we don't do sweets so that doesn't help me at all. I guess my favourite zucchini recipe is a melange called Ratatouille now being made famous by the Gourmet Rat-Chef.

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Zucchini and Yellow Squash w/ cranberries and sunflower seeds or your favourite fresh sauce. I also love to grill zucchini ribbons. You just use a wide peeler to slice them, toss on the grill or a griddle with a little spray of olive oil and just barely heat don't overcook.

Zucchini blossoms are wonderful stuffed with sausage, bread crumbs and cheese with Italian herbs. You use the male flowers-the ones sans the fruit at the back.

partially based on info in an article in Mercury News and my own gardening expierences of dealing with the bounties of too many zucchinis.

By Aleta Watson

08/22/2007

for recipes

http://www.mercurynews.com/food/ci_6686210

Comments

Comments: 5 | Add a Comment

tropicahnah says :

I love Sunrise Bistro's (Walnut Creek) zucchini bread. So delicious!

Posted on: 22 August 2007 - 8:27pm

shantihhh says :

I agree Sunrise Bistro makes the best!

Posted on: 15 May 2010 - 12:34pm

shantihhh says :

It is the best! Love this new photo of you-very serene and glamourous too.

Posted on: 23 August 2007 - 12:18am

shantihhh says :

Here is a Greek Zucchini reipe from Tom Douglas https://secure.nwlink.com/tomdouglas.com/newsletter/recipe.html

Posted on: 23 August 2007 - 5:24pm

vikash kumar. says :

Zucchini looks beautiful and fresh. I was unaware of it. I have not seen it in India. Yellow flower in green background is really the best. It seems that nature play with colours.

Posted on: 24 August 2007 - 3:49am