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.
Last modified on: June 8th 2011
Keywords for this recipe:PreparingCourgettesZucchiniWashingPeelingCutingHowtoYou will need:
2 
How long does it take?
Time required for this recipe:
| Preparation | Start to finish |
|---|---|
| 29 min. | 29 min. |
At what time:
- When will I finish if I start the recipe at ... ?
When should I start for the recipe to be ready at ... ? - Work this out...
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.
Nutritional information
| Whole recipe | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Energetic value | Proteins | Carbohydrates | Fats |
| 135 Kcal or 565 Kj | 0 gr | 0 gr | 15 gr |
| 7 % | 0 % | 0 % | 2 % |
| Per 100 g | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Energetic value | Proteins | Carbohydrates | Fats |
| 27 Kcal or 113 Kj | 0 gr | 0 gr | 3 gr |
| 1 % | 0 % | 0 % | <1 % |
How much will it cost?
Source
Home made.
This recipe uses (among others)
 | Courgette: You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Crispy prawn rolls, Crunchy spring salad, Crunchy courgette and mushroom salad, Red rice pannequets, Green Piedmont Salad, ... All |
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Your 1 comments or questions on this recipe
- Thanks for sharing, j.h. The removing of the seeds seems so obvious and yet, I never thought to use your method.Posted by Louise june 8th 2011 at 12:14 (n° 1)
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