Help with the Courgette/Zucchini/Summer Squash Glut

Some Northern Hemisphere bloggers are facing the "how do I deal with all these vegetables" issue as their zucchini plants produce a bountiful harvest - daily! A couple of years ago I posted a Zucchini Paste recipe. Here it is again, only with pictures that I took back in March especially for this time of the NH summer.

For 1 kilo (about 2.2 pounds) of Summer Squash heat three to four tablespoons of olive oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. This is a good opportunity to use a beautiful EVOO or another specialty oil you love. I like to use avocado oil. While the oil is heating grate those Squash/Zucchs/Courgettes.



Add the grated vege to your heated oil, mix well and turn the heat down a bit. Heaps of juices will come out of the vege - that is okay. The idea is to keep the mixture simmering away so all the water evaporates. This can take up to half an hour - please do stir the mixture every now and then. I don't add any seasonings at this stage.



Once the water has simmered away you will be left with the lovely mixture pictured above. Now is the time to season with salt and pepper, to suit your taste.

The paste is beautiful on fresh bread, bruschetta, as a dip - on its own or mixed with other ingredients like sour cream or feta, or what ever you like. Use it as the basis for a soup or freeze it for later.



I especially like it on a home made pizza. I spread a thin layer of dijon mustard over the dough then top with the paste, and in this case fresh oregano leaves from the garden. Add any other toppings you like and bake.


Then happily eat, reminding yourself of all the veggie goodness on your plate.

P.S. - the feline house/flat/room mates wont want to share (they're worse than sproglets about eating veggies) but any canine house/flat/room mates just might enjoy a taste or two.

Middle of Winter

Last week was cold, windy and very wet, with a nasty southerly blast from the Antarctic delivering horizontal sleet showers right at our home. And the downpipe from the next flat's guttering had become disconnected. This, combined with the same flat's header tank overflowing all the time, meant Mickle and Zebby received an impromptu shower every time we stepped out our front door.

Happiness returned when the owner of the next flat fixed the downpipe connection on Sunday. This was combined with a day of cold sunshine.

We still have sunshine due for most of this week, but with no wind and clear night skies we get frosty time too. Never mind - the sun gets to shine onto "our" bed in the afternoon and Zeb can be seen above his battered quilt/blankey more often!

Okay, so I took this shot earlier in the year,
but you get the idea of a half-awake Zebster out in the natural light!

The lad has worked out that his own unique need for daily food (multiple times a day)
is greater than any pleasant dreams of hibernation.

Besides, it is really good fun to snuggle up to Your human for an hour or two,
and then whallop her in the face to wake her up!!!
(even when you have ample food, water and clean litter supplies available).

Yes, way more fun than just walking over her sleeping body and demanding the best spot on "your" beddy-bise! (Although, performed infrequently, this gets its own rewards from her too).

Purple Potatoes

These are a heritage variety, with the Maori named of Urenika

Their flesh is purple all the way through. After boiling in water they cook up to a pale purple
with a very floury flesh - purfect for mashing

I mixed the leftovers with eggs, spring onions (scallions/green onions), grated parmesan and
a little besan (chickpea flour) and baking powder to make little fritters

It is hard to tell but the fritters looked kind of blue inside. Eaten and enjoyed with a fresh salad* and a glass of Boysencider - a drink made from Apple Cider and Boysenberry Wine. A delicious supper on American Independence Day.


* and a yummy salad dressing of equal parts of Dijon Mustard, Maple Syrup and Balsemic Vinegar well mixed (super thanks Daharja)

First of July - A Zebby Cat Posting

A Grand Night for Zebbycat Snoozling.


For the first time this winter he allowed His human to roam around their wee flat while Zeb permitted himself two whole hours of full-on sleepy snoozling in front of the new heater.

His human even remembered to check, clean and refill his water and dry food bowls!