Courgettes
Introduction to Courgettes
Courgettes are the same family as Marrows and were originally the same variety of vegetable harvested at a younger stage. Nowadays there are specific varieties that have been bred for Courgette production that have the smoother darker skins that we are now familiar with, but if left on the plant the fruits will grow to the size of a Marrow.
Courgettes can be found on our shelves all year round, however to achieve this; the crop has to be grown in a number of different countries. These include England, France, Spain and Morocco. The English season usually sees the first fruits harvested at the beginning of June and depending on the weather, the season will run until the end of September. The Spanish season correspondingly runs from mid September until early June. French courgettes are found on our shelves in the early spring and late autumn and Moroccan courgettes in the depths of the English Winter.
Courgettes like warm sunny days and during the English summer they can grow from a small flower to a full sized fruit in a matter of hours and therefore they are one of the freshest vegetables you can buy in the summer.
Courgettes are also a nutritious and healthy choice of vegetable. A portion of courgettes provides a wide range of vitamins, yet they are low in calories.
Courgettes are extremely flexible in terms of their use in the kitchen. Whilst many people think of courgettes as being used in Ratatouille, they can be prepared in a number of different ways, including steaming, baking, roasting and stir frying, making them an ideal ingredient for a wide range of meal options.
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