How to prepare courgettes
Preparing courgettes is fairly simple. You just need to remember 3 things: 1) the bigger they are, the less good they will be, 2) they never need to be peeled, and 3) the central part with the seeds is pretty tasteless.
30 min.
Easy
1 IngredientLast modified on: June 8th 2011
You will need:
2 
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 30 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 1 min.
Scrub the courgettes in water with a scourer to get them smooth.
Stage 2 - 1 min.
Cut off the ends.
Stage 3 - 5 min.
If you want rounds, you're almost done: slice them with a knife or, better still, using a mandolin.
Stage 4 - 2 min.
If you want diced courgettes, cut them in 4 lengthways.
Stage 5 - 3 min.
With a knife, cut off the central part containing the seeds.
Stage 6
You should only keep the part with the skin, without seeds.
Stage 7 - 5 min.
Cut this lengthways...
Stage 8 - 10 min.
...and finally across to produce small triangles.
Your courgette is now ready to use.
Your courgette is now ready to use.
Stage 9 - 2 min.
If you are only using a mandolin, it is better to cut the courgette into chunks first, then cut these on the mandolin...
Stage 10
...turning them every time you get the the seeds in the centre.
Stage 11
This will produce small sticks, the length of the chunks, which can then be cut into dice if you wish.
Remarks
The idea that "the bigger a courgette is, the less flavour it has" is not easy to put over, especially as amateur gardeners usually think quite the opposite: "Ooh, a big courgette - yummy!" But unfortunately the big ones (on the way to becoming marrows) are only good for stuffing.
The Pourcel brothers (chef twins) only use courgettes that have seeds for making a puree which is then sieved.
The Pourcel brothers (chef twins) only use courgettes that have seeds for making a puree which is then sieved.
Keeping: Several days in the fridge, in a closed jar.
Source: Home made.
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 0 | 0 | 20 RDI=2 % | 140 RDI=7 % | 570 RDI: 7 % |
| Per 100 g | 0 | 0 | 3 RDI=0 % | 30 RDI=1 % | 110 RDI: 1 % |
How much will it cost?
- For : 1.50 €
Change currency: 
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
This recipe uses (among others)
Courgette
Like these other recipes: Small green vegetables in Mornay sauce, Salad greens and small omelette, Ratatouille, Vegetable clafoutis, Zucchini and potato scarpaccia, ... See them all 46
Other recipes you may also like
Chinois
"Chinese" - what a strange name for this cake! A kind of brioche, filled with confectioner's custard (crème pâtissière) which can be decorated with fondant icing.September 10th 2018269 K 24.7 5 hours 30 min.
Herb olive oil
This flavoured olive oil, easy to prepare, goes very well with Mediterranean cuisine: pizzas, pastas, pan bagnat, etc...February 21th 2011314 K3.8 25 min.
Thaï rice with small vegetables
Vegetables cut in small dice, cooked in stages, and mixed with cooked Thaï rice. Delicious alone or served with meat for example.February 21th 2011287 K4.7 1 hour 35 min.
How to prepare sorrel
Here is how to clean and cut fresh leaves to use in a recipe, by removing stalks and central vein, to retain only the very best of the sorrel.October 6th 2010442 K3.3 35 min.
Lime (or lemon) curd
Lime curd is a delicious conserve and variation on the traditional lemon curd, made with limes, eggs and butter. It's the perfect filling for either large or small tarts.July 10th 2011165 K5 55 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-07-06)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Follow this recipe (as 8 people already do)
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.
The 1 comment already posted on this recipe