Zucchini

Zucchini are a mandatory component for creating the dish ratatouille. They are perfect when combined with oil, butter, or frying. Their flavour can be mild, so zucchini often needs a little boost in flavor by adding spices such as garlic, thyme, or rosemary, or by being paired with other vegetables. One of our favorite dishes simply combines diced zucchini with corn, red peppers, onions, and jalapenos, tossed with a bit of our pork and poultry rub and oil, then roasted until caramelized.

The color of zucchini varies from yellow to near black to lighter shades of green, some with stripes and others without. Many varieties exhibit various degrees of speckling, and others have ridges resembling a cucumber. While found in their dark green form in many market stalls, don't be surprised to find them called "grisette" (grey) in Provence, or "Aurore" or "Reine-des-Noires" depending on their shade of green. In addition to being named by their color, they may be referred to by their regional name, such as courgette, summer squash, or marrow squash.

Buying Zucchini

Although the zucchini is available year round, summer is without question the best time to buy because its prime growth period is late summer. This is also the point in the season where its flavor is at its peak. Zucchini tastes best when young, small, and heavy for its size. Look for firm zucchini that is regular in shape without blemishes or yellow patches, and with a tight, shiny skin. Smaller zucchini are preferable, since as they get bigger their flesh becomes stringy, tough, and bland, and the number of seeds within increases.

Storage

Zucchini has the best shelf life when kept in a dark, cool place. Kept dry in a plastic bag, zucchini should last at least one week in the refrigerator. Whole or sliced zucchini do not take well to freezing because of their high water content. However, it is possible to shred or grate the zucchini, squeeze out excess moisture, and then freeze it. This is nice for when you want to use zucchini in baked applications such as zucchini bread.

Farfales with the king prawns and zucchinis

Ingredients:

450 G farfalle

4 king prawns

2 zucchinis

4 zucchini flowers

1 tomato

1 onion(beignet chocolat recette)

100 G sauce of tomato

olive oil extra virgin

salt, pepper

Method: 

Cut zucchinis, the flowers of zucchini, a tomato, salt, virgin extra olive oil, a little tomato sauce of small pieces. Chop an onion. In a frying pan, put oil and the chopped onion. Cook zucchinis during 1 to 2 minutes. Add the zucchini flowers, chopped tomato, the king prawns, a little juice of tomato and pepper. Let still cook a minute. Make boil water, in order to cook there the “farfalle” with a little salt.