Market Fresh: Zucchini

The Flavour
Soft, light and mildly sweet. During cooking it takes on other flavours well. Zucchini flowers are more flavourful: rich and savoury. Keep your eyes peeled for these blooms, as they’re not in markets long.

Zucchini Goes Well With...
Mozzarella, Parmesan and goat cheeses; eggplant; tomatoes and tomato sauce; onions; garlic; basil; oregano; parsley; mint; olive oil and vinegar; fish; lemon.

Buying & Storing Tips
Choose small zucchini: they are younger and therefore more tender and not so thick-skinned. Buy those with a vibrant green colour and firm, shiny, blemish-free skins. They taste best when used as soon as possible. Store up to five days refrigerated in a perforated plastic bag in the crisper. Zucchini flowers are highly perishable: use right away.

Preparing & Using Zucchini
Wash well, just before use only, and trim both ends. There’s no need to peel, and only seed it if you’re stuffing and baking – the seeds hold the fibre! Slice into rounds, peel into long ribbons or grate. Zucchini is a quick-cook veg and best steamed, sautéed, fried, baked, grilled or raw (it’s watery, so never boil). Cook until tender-crisp; overcooking makes it limp and mushy.
Zucchini flowers: Batter and fry; stuff and bake; sauté; or add to pasta, risotto, frittata and salad.

Nutrition Info
Zucchini contains some iron, vitamin C, potassium and beta carotene.

Next week in Market to Table: Radish

Market to Table is a weekly column reporting on all things fresh in stores and farmers' markets now. Check in with us every Monday to find out what fresh and local produce you should be grocery shopping for each week.