France in Focus

What do you all do with your courgettes to see you through the winter ?

You can wrap them in cling film and keep in a cold dark place for couple of weeks, but as they are so easy to grow and you end up with hundreds of them it would be nice to be able to use them in the winter.

I have tried freezing them, but they just go too soggy when you use them. However I have found a way of doing it.

Dice your courgettes into a baking pan add some sea salt, white pepper and a little olive oil and bake in a hot oven for 20 - 30 minutes.

Blitz them up to a puree and put in portion size freezer boxes, once they are cool put the lid on and bung them in the freezer.

To use in the winter just throw the block of courgette puree in a saucepan and heat it up.

Any other ideas ?

In the past I've made courgette, onion,tomatoe chutney, lasted for years
Now don't bother what we cant use as days go by I cut up and compost.
Only grow one plant which is enough for us.

I make courgette soup and freeze it in reusable plastic containers. Ditto ratatouille .. which is like eating sunshine-on-a-plate in the winter; ditto courgette tarte .. like a quiche but without the lardons.

Plus courgette chutney, which is brilliant .. thanks for reminding me Doug

Totaly agree, ratatouulle is a breath of summer used to make lots.
It must be getting older, not working like used to, but in not eating so much a lot of things we used to concoct we no longer do.

I freeze them au nature and soup 'em in the winter. I don't want to be slaving over a hot stove in the summer.

MAD87 wrote: ↑Fri Aug 06, 2021 6:10 pm I freeze them au nature and soup 'em in the winter. I don't want to be slaving over a hot stove in the summer.

It's quite a good way of keeping warm at the moment

I roast mine with aubergine, onion, tomato and garlic and then freeze them to throw into curry, soup or tomato based sauce in winter.

Great replies everyone thank you.

suein56 wrote: ↑Fri Aug 06, 2021 7:05 pm

MAD87 wrote: ↑Fri Aug 06, 2021 6:10 pm I freeze them au nature and soup 'em in the winter. I don't want to be slaving over a hot stove in the summer.

It's quite a good way of keeping warm at the moment

Touché!