Two for the price of one!

Today I'm sharing two recipes, both for this humble, I don't know what to do with you, veggie.

Zucchini. Courgette. Baby Marrow. Green skinned semi-squishy veggie. Call it what you like, they're bland, boring, bitter'ish and need serious TLC to coax the best out of them.

But, funny story, there's another name for these green thingies, well in our family there is (and this is a true story).

So ever since Pierre (aka my grey beard) and I first started going out (in 1980) it was tradition that we (my grey beard, myself and later on our kids) and Pierre's sister and her family ate Sunday lunch at my in-law's place, every Sunday! Now we were all chatterboxes (well most of us in any case, those that weren't didn't stand a chance even if they wanted say something) and it always sounded like utter chaos, loud, incoherent, fantastic, lovely, unforgettable chaos! So on one of these wonderful days, about 20 or so years ago, while we were carrying the dishes of food to the table (now please bear with me) Pierre asked his mom what one of his cousin's, husbands name is.. While he was asking her this, Tyron (my man-child) asked me what vegetable I had just put down on the table, as I answered him my mother in law answered Pierre's question; it's Koos Nel and that was that. While we were dishing the food Tyron insisted that he wanted some Koos Nel and obvs I didn't know what the hel it was he wanted because I did't hear the conversation they (Pierre and his mom) had... Eventually we figured out that he didn't hear my answer that I had put the zucchini on the table but he heard his gran say, Koos Nel! From that day on we call it Koos Nel!!!

Okay enough of that, let's get back to giving these thingies some life.

I add them to my roast veggie mix because obvs I always crave mush *joke* but my red-head loves them so she gets them. I also cannot understand the whole 'zucchini noodle' thing, in my very humble opinion these little fellas turn from done to mush is seconds and raw they are just jiggie so how folks get the thin 'noodles' perfectly cooked is beyond me and (again just my humble opinion) it's not noodles, it's just a vegetable cut into long thin strips. My carb fueled brain just cannot be fooled in that way.

Here are two ways I use to make them not just palatable but absolutely delicious! As per usual there are no funny ingredients in the recipes and once you have these babies in your fridge you probably have the rest at hand. The one is a simple ratatouille/stew kinda concoction and the other a loaf, now don't panic about the loaf, you just chuck a few things in a bowl and then in a loaf tin, give it some heat et voila, you have a loaf of face stuffingly delicious bread.

Tomato and Zucchini concoction:

Chop some onion, fresh tomato, garlic and the green stuff

Fry the onion, then add tomato paste & garlic, then the rest of the veg and cook

Add lemon zest and fresh parsley

and serve,

here I served it with braised beef, carrots and rice with fried onion, peas and corn stirred into it and bacon fat roast potatoes. A simple, rustic, satisfying and absolutely delicious meal! (two starches on a plate! I know, it's a disgrace but a delicious one and I am the carb queen after-all sooooo.... 😊)

Here's the recipe for the Zucchini stew kinda thingie;

(but you can use quantities to suit your requirements)

Ingredients:

± 450g Zucchini chopped into 2.5 - 3cm chunks

1 Onion Finely chopped

2 cloves Garlic finely chopped

15ml Tomato Paste

Sprig of Thyme

3 small (or 2 large) tomatoes diced

small bunch of parsley, chopped

grated zest of half a Lemon

Salt & Black pepper to taste

5ml Sugar

Method:

Fry the onions in sunflower oil over medium heat until soft and translucent but not brown at all.

Add the tomato paste, thyme and garlic and fry until the oil turns red and the mixtures smells fragrant and sweet.

Add the zucchini, tomato, salt, pepper and sugar.

Stir to mix and leave to simmer gently until the zucchini is just starting wilt and starts to look translucent. The tomatoes will soften, reduce and will make a nice thick sauce. This should take about 15-20 minutes. Keep your eye on it and and don't overcook, you don't want mush.

Check for seasoning and add salt & pepper if necessary.

Add the chopped parsley and lemon zest, stir to combine

Serve!

Delicious with braai, roast chicken, or part of a comfort meal.

Zucchini loaf

mix the wet stuff & sugar

mix the dry stuff

add wet stuff to dry stuff and mix

dump into your prepared tin and bake until done

Turn out, cool, slice and devour

Here's the recipe

Zucchini & Cheese loaf.

If you don't have a loaf tin you can use a round cake tin or a cupcake pan

Ingredients:

3 eggs

15ml sugar

125 ml sunflower oil

90ml milk

± 120-140g Zucchini (or 1 cup)

100g grated Cheddar cheese

1 1/2 cups Flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

2.5ml Salt

1 Teaspoon Black Pepper

Instructions:

Pre-heat the oven to 170°C

Butter and flour a loaf tin (or available tin) and line the base with baking paper.

Grate the Zucchini and squeeze the excess water out with a clean dry, dish cloth

Whisk eggs, sugar, oil & milk together until well blended.

In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and baking powder, salt & pepper

Add the zucchini, and cheese and stir until well combined and the zucchini is covered with the flour mixture.

Add the wet mix and stir with a fork until well combined and no dry floury bits are visible.

Pour the batter into the lined bread tin and bake at for 50 minutes to 1 hr for a loaf or 20cm cake tin, 25-30 minutes for a cupcake tin.

The baking time will depend on the size of baking tin you are using.

Test with a toothpick the center is cooked.

Leave to cool in the pan for 2 minutes, turn out onto a wire cooling rack and leave to cool.

Serve warm'ish or at room temp.

The loaf will stay fresh for two days.

Note:

I regularly add chopped fresh chili to the mixture.

substitute crumbed feta for half of the cheese

Add fresh herbs such as chopped basil, parsley or oregano.