Ratatouille

[Alex H]

As I shortly hope to have a glut of courgettes in my allotment, does anyone know how to preserve ratatouille by methods other than freezing?

Can I bottle it like tomato sauce or pickle?

[Gemonimo]

Hi Tandem Pilot... Yes, you can bottle ratatouille and if you sterilize it in a pressure cooker, it will take about one hour to sterilize.  I haven't ever 'bottled' vegetables but do all my confits, pâtés and meats this way.  Not only do you always have something immediately available for unexpected guests but they also make great gifts. 

[Patf]

I made chutney with courgettes once and it turned out well. I put it into sterilised jars and it kept well too.

Reminds me - must go out and pick some before they turn into marrows. I've already made some soup with a few, and added some to a rissotto.

[mint]

Lovely made into a sauce for pasta and also good in quiches.

[newbiee]

you can freeze courgette too ..... slice them and lay them on a tray, cover and freeze, then tip into a bag.

The texture won't hold, so no good for sauteeing etc, but absolutely ideal for making soups in the winter.

[Russethouse]

Heres a couple of courgette recipes :

http://www.waitrose.com/recipe/Feta_and_Mint_Frittata_with_Courgettes.aspx

 

http://www.waitrose.com/recipe/Courgette_and_Feta_Baklava_with_Minty_Yogurt.aspx

 

I've tried the frittata and it was really good [:)]

[Polremy]

I will definitely try one of these recipes. Mind you, not sure you get Columbian blackail eggs around Perpignan way? Think I might just substitute Leader Price's cheapies!

[foxyloxy25]

......... and if you run out of space when the glut!! continues try drying them, works great in soups and casseroles in the winter .. 

Jeanne 

[FairyNuff]

Courgettes do seem to sprout overnight, we have a glut as well. A friend suggested pickling courgettes, I've bought some cider vinegar, but couldn't see pickling spices in Auchan this morning. Is it available over here, and if so, what's it called? I assumed it would be near the herbs, pepper etc, but perhaps I "couldn't see for looking"! Any help in reducing the mountain gratefully received.  [:D]

 

FairyNuff

 

 

[Iceni]

A few more recipes for those threatened by courgettes.

http://fooddownunder.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi?q=courgette&start=0&page=0

 

[tenniswitch]

You can bottle it like tomato sauce if you follow the safety guidelines for canning (what we call it in the US) low-acid foods.

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/usda/utah_can_guide_01.pdf

Freezing is a lot simpler, but if you don't have the space....

[Alex H]

Thanks for that, it was exactly what I wanted, but Google is not always my friend [:(] sometimes you get too much choice.

Strange how its called canning, but uses jars [:D]

I normally freeze it, but I'm not too happy about the unfrozen result - its too mushy.

[Iceni]

[quote user="Tandem_Pilot"]

I normally freeze it, but I'm not too happy about the unfrozen result - its too mushy.


[/quote]

Our ratatouille is bottled - what a wonderful aroma when the seal is broken - but the courgettes intended for soup are frozen. A few years ago Di bought a dicer so the bags take up relatively little space.

The late, wet spring this year delayed our planting by 3 weeks or so but the first courgette will be ready for picking in the next day or two. We have found that the round varieties yield better though Di prefers to cook with the others. 2007 was a bad year for all our veg but so far 2008 looks as if it will result in "not ****** courgettes again" particualrly as we have 14 plants just in case.

John

 

[odile]

a few years ago, we had so many courgettes that OH got really fed up and suspicious. He would look very carefully at his plate and lift everything to see if I had hidden any somewhere or other! So for Christmas I bought him a little book entitled 'a glut of courgettes' (not is ONLY present might I add) - he wasn't particularly grateful! I've looked for it today so I could send it to you - but it's gone! Found it's mate though 'a glut of apples and pears' - just in case you have a problem later in the year. Bon appetit.

[Scooby]

Courgettes work really well in muffins (which can be frozen).  The courgettes have the same effect ascarrot in carrot cake - make them really moist.  I googled 'chocolate courgette muffins' and 'cocoa courgette muffins' and got quite a few recipes but can post mine if you want.

[Racerbear02]

Hi

Our femme de menage just gave us a lot of courgettes, after two night of stuffed courgettes, stuffed with a mixture of rice and rillettes d'oie with beans MMMM,  I made some courgette soup.  OK I know it sounds boring but.......

Fry a big onion and garlic to taste gently till soft, add 20% by weight potatoes chopped up, cover and cook slowly for 10 mins with a drop of water to prevent sticking, season to taste, add chopped up courgette, the other 80% by weight, cover with water or stock, I used the stock from when we had boiled a tongue, then a BIG handful of whatever fresh herbs you have in the garden, cook till all is soft then blend while still hot, add a dollop of creme fraiche and there we go.  To serve, crumble a bit of blue cheese or other softish cheese into it while hot and mix round till it melts, garnish with chopped herbs and eat with obligatory fresh bread. I left the skin on the courgettes as it give a bit of colour, texture and taste when blended.

If freezing, don't add the cheese till you re heat.

If you put a handful of curry leaves or curry powder in it you will have an excellent base for a curry.

Enjoy, as our colonial cousins say