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YOUR RECIPES

- Zucchini.

Baked Zucchini

When Fay and James Dwyer moved to their Hamilton retirement home almost four years ago, they didn’t waste any time getting a garden going – Fay had a trailer-load of cuttings and plants to rehome after all! James used scrap wood to build two garden boxes for vegetables and a frame for a passionfruit vine. They’ve also planted a lemon tree, a plum tree and all of those cuttings and plants. Zucchini planting has been a little delayed this season, with the lockdown making shopping for seed more difficult, but when the zucchini harvest does happen, Fay has three recipes she’ll be sure to make: Zucchini Salad, Zucchini with Mint and this deliciously simple Baked Zucchini.

Serves 4

spray oil, for greasing

2-3 zucchini, ends trimmed and skin left on

1 onion, peeled

2 eggs pinch of ground nutmeg & ground black pepper to taste ½ cup grated tasty cheese

Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Lightly grease an oven dish with spray oil (or brush with oil). Grate the zucchini and onion into a large bowl. In another bowl, lightly beat the eggs and add the nutmeg and black pepper. Pour the egg mixture over the zucchini mixture and mix well. Spoon into the prepared dish and sprinkle over the cheese. Bake for 15 minutes until lightly golden.

Lacto-fermented Zucchini Pickles

Kate and Murray Adams built their house on their quarteracre section in the rural village of Hororata 43 years ago. In that time they’ve also transformed a bare paddock into a garden – their vege plot takes up almost a quarter of it. The Adams grow the zucchini ‘Black Coral F1’ from Kings Seeds. If powdery mildew looks like being an issue, they’ll plant a second round of courgettes so they can be sure of a supply of cucurbits to make these pickles with.

Kate found the recipe in Green Idea magazine many years ago and has used it since. The pickles are fab as an antipasto and also as a bread and butter pickle for lunch.

Makes 2 jars

¼ cup salt (non-iodised)

900ml water

6 zucchini, sliced into rounds

2 peeled garlic cloves

2 pinches each dill seeds & mustard seeds

Combine the salt and water in a jug and stir to dissolve the salt completely. Divide the zucchini rounds between 2 jars, packing them in as they will shrink a little as they ferment. Add 1 clove of garlic and 1 pinch of each spice to each jar. Pour the brine over the zucchini as far as the neck of the jar. Place a water-filled smaller jar or glass through the neck of the jar to weigh the zucchini rounds down and, if necessary, top up with more brine to ensure the zucchini is totally covered.

Place a muslin cover or cloth over the jars and leave on the bench or in a cupboard. Leave to ferment for at least 10 days and ideally up to 14, tasting every day after day 10 – with a clean utensil – until you are happy with the flavour.

Close the jars with tightly fitting lids and store in the fridge, the pickles will keep for a few months.

If powdery mildew looks like being an issue, Kate and Murray Adams will plant a second round of courgettes so they can be sure of a supply of cucurbits to make these pickles with.

Zucchini and Parmesan Muffins

Deanne Harvey doesn’t grow zucchini, but has plenty of friends who do, so she always has a good supply to make these muffins. The recipe comes from her mother-in-law Rose Madden, who was also a keen cook and gardener.

Makes 12 regular muffins

spray oil, for greasing

2 cups plain flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt & ground black pepper, to taste 1 cup grated tasty cheese & ¼ cup grated parmesan ¾ cup milk

2 eggs

3 zucchini (250g), skin left on and grated

Preheat the oven to 210°C and position a rack just below the middle of the oven. Lightly grease a 12-hole standard muffin tin with spray oil (or brush with oil).

Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper into a mixing bowl and mix well to combine. Add the parmesan and tasty cheese, and stir to combine.

In another bowl, beat together the milk and eggs with a fork, then stir in the zucchini. Tip the zucchini mixture into the flour mixture and fold together until the two mixtures are just combined. It’s important not to overmix, so stop while the mixture still looks rough and lumpy.

Divide the mixture between the muffin tins. Bake for 1215 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the centres spring back when pressed. Leave for 2-3 minutes before transferring from the tins to a wire rack to cool.

Zucchini Lemon Honey

This recipe has appeared in NZ Gardener before but reader Liz Shea from Timaru reminded us of it and how it appeals to even zucchini-haters, so we’re highlighting it again.

Liz confirms, “I don’t like zucchinis much at all. I don’t buy them and I don’t grow them but… if someone gives me an overgrown zucchini then I graciously accept it and turn it into zucchini jam. If you use a zucchini that has turned into a marrow, then it is perfect for this jam.

“My newspaper cutting states that the recipe was published in the magazine but originally sent to them by Kaye Blaker from Nelson. It is like a lemon honey without the eggs and as I have a bountiful lemon tree, lemons are not a problem. It is lovely on hot toast and scones, and can be used as a filling instead of lemon honey. It keeps well too in sterilised jars.”

Makes 3-4 standard jars

1kg golden zucchinis, or peeled green courgettes zest and juice of 3 lemons

1kg sugar

125g butter (or less if you desire)

Finely chop the zucchini and steam until tender

(in a microwave is fine). Place the zucchini in a food processor and purée – the pulp will look similar to custard.

Place the zucchini pulp in a pot over a low heat, add the rest of ingredients and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Turn up the heat and boil for about 30 minutes, until the jam is thick and creamy, like lemon honey.

Pour into hot, sterilised glass jars and seal. This will keep in the pantry for up to 12 months.

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2022-01-01T08:00:00.0000000Z

2022-01-01T08:00:00.0000000Z

https://stuffmagazines.pressreader.com/article/282278143648712

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