The French gastronome Brillat-Savarin wrote in 1825 that the "discovery of a new dish does more for human happiness than the discovery of a new star." If that's the case, then the discovery of a new zucchini (courgette) recipe certainly does more for the happiness of a kitchen gardener than the discovery of a new planet.
More than any other vegetable, zucchini tests the kitchen gardener's
cooking skills because it is relentless. If I were ever to make a major
Hollywood film starring a cast of vegetables - which, fear not, I have no
intention of doing - I could make a good case for casting the zucchini
plant in the role of the rejected and stalking lover. I can hear it saying
lines à la Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction like "you thought you were all
done with me, that you could harvest me a couple of times for kicks
and be on your merry way..well I'm back and I will not be ignored!"
Yet, liked Glenn Close, zucchini is a versatile performer and, I believe, better suited to the role of friend than foe. A good friend is generous and selfless and I can think of no vegetable that gives so much with so little attention. Originally from the Americas, the zucchini has found its way around the world and into some of the best international cuisines. Below is a sampling of 15 international preparations culled from the internet that will help you to develop a healthy and friendly relationship with your own zucchini plant.
"The trouble is, you cannot grow just one zucchini. Minutes after you plant a single seed, hundreds of zucchini will barge out of the ground and sprawl around the garden, menacing the other vegetables. At night, you will be able to hear the ground quake as more and more zucchinis erupt."
-American humorist, Dave Barry
Zucchini: Friend or Foe?
