This veggie may resemble a cucumber, but it is actually a member of the squash family. They are green like a cucumber, but they come in the yellow variety as well. Zucchini are great stir fried with onions or steamed with a complement of other vegetables. Here are some tips for picking, cooking and eating this tasty veggie.
Choosing the Perfect Zucchini
Pick your zucchini wisely. They are all green, but a good zucchini is heavy. Now it may not always be long like a cucumber but it should be heavy like one. Depending on the farmer, some are smaller than others. Hold them in your hand and compare with others before choosing the ones you will buy.
Perfect for Summer Time
Zucchini is a popular vegetable in the summer. The taste is light and it is fat free and low in sodium and cholesterol free. All you need to cook them is a bit of olive oil in a wok or large skillet and some salt and pepper to taste. I like to julienne or matchstick my zucchini, but others may want to slice it into nice round pieces. It is great as a starting veggie for kids because it doesn’t have an overpowering taste.
Storage
Zucchini does well in the refrigerator at a modest temperature. Don’t wait too long to use it or it will become mushy to the touch. It may look good through the clear veggie tray but when the back side is covered in white fuzz it’s time to get rid of it. Zucchini is not a vegetable that stands up to freezing very well. If you must freeze it, blanch it first.
Preparation Suggestions
Pickled Zucchini: You can pickle zucchini along with other veggies like peppers, onions, and tomatoes. The mix of flavors will enhance any meal you prepare during the fall and winter months. Zucchini can be added to soup stock and frozen for a later time.
Zucchini Bread: Zucchini is even good as a specialty bread ingredient. I never thought a vegetable would be good in bread, but zucchini bread is really good. You can’t even taste the zucchini. The taste is sweet and similar to banana bread without the walnuts. Bake a few loaves and freeze them.
Additional Cooking Tips
Zucchini has a very high amount of water in it naturally. Therefore, it doesn’t take long to cook. Letting it sit too long over heat will shrivel it up and doesn’t make it very tasty.
Most people who have a taste for this vegetable may not have any zucchini left over after picking their entire crop from the garden because it is such a healthy veggie and good with so many varieties of dishes.
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