Recipes for an overload of zucchini & green beans

[Dustyblue]

It's summer here & I'm drowning in these. Am getting bored with my usual recipes like zucchini slice or fritters, soup, beans in tomato/onion, with or without spices.

Apparently zucchini cake/loaf is nice but I don't have a sweet tooth.

Any ideas?

Lots of recipes for salads online, either raw or cooked. Google courgettes as well as zucchini. Citrus dressings and herbs are nice, slice the courgettes really thin. I like to slice them in half lengthways, score them, and bake with garlic butter.

The pastry chef in my last place used to make a beautiful courgette ( zucchini ) loaf, it was really lovely, not too sweet at all . Im sure there's a zillion reciepes online, Im pretty sure hers was cinnamon heavy for sweetness not sugar

Have you tried courgette Jam? Now that is really nice with ginger and lemon

This is easy and delicious:
smittenkitchen.com/2019/09/crisped-chickpeas-with-herbs-and-garlic-yogurt/

Courgette:
Use a vegetable peeler to create very thin strips. I stir-fry with a soy, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, lime dressing and have in place of noodles. A huge pile wilts quickly into a much smaller amount.

Grate a load of courgettes, then fry with seasonings - I tend to do garlic, chilli, lemon though love tarragon too. Mix into cooked pasta with a handful of parmesan and a splash of the pasta water.

Beans: boil until just tender then while warm add to a dressing of evoo, garlic and fresh mint. Lovely side for a summer dinner/part of an antipasti. I also chop, blanch, cool and freeze to add to pasta/risotto etc as needed.

We get given a lot of courgettes by friends with allotments.

Stuffed courgetttes served on a tomato sauce a tomato sauces

Fried or griddled courgettes with prawns mixed with cream cheese and a little stock / pasta water is a great pasta sauce.

Grate courgettes into meat sauce for Shepherds pie or into bolognese sauce.

We had fried zucchini chips in Greece and make those quite regularly now

Chutney? Pickles?

For chutney I would use a 50/50 mix of spiced vinegar and sugar. You can try different vinegars and sugars. I'd add in some whole pepper corns, mustard seeds and coriander seeds.

Maybe some turmeric and chilli powder.

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/285205/that-zucchini-spaghetti-stanley-tucci-loves-spaghetti-alla-nerano/ Y his gets good reviews….

I’d pickle or ferment the beans.

amzn.eu/d/hwkR6XL

I've found this book invaluable in these situations.

I love the courgette pasta that Stanley Tuccihad on his food show as recommended by @BigDahliaFan, it’s delicious.

I also think this Antonio Carluccio recipe is gorgeous. Sometimes I make the spinach balls, sometimes I use pre-made beef meatballs, sometimes I don’t bother with either!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/pastawithcourgettesa_93036

This risotto is nice, make double and then use the leftovers to make arancini https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/courgette_and_lemon_44907

Grate and freeze the zucchini, I use a patty pan for portions, then into a freezer bag once frozen.
I love a garlicky courgette soup, make a pot, eat some, freeze some.
Courgette loaf isn't very sweet, and there are vegan recipes out there if you want to avoid using butter.
Find a friend with a glut of tomatoes and do a swap?

Plus these grilled zucchini ribbons look great for a summer bbq https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022289-grilled-zucchini-ribbons

Dilly Beans are an American classic I learnt there. Recipes abound.

I think they are delicious.

www.taste.com.au/recipes/zucchini-slice/eb7eed59-5f53-4f6f-bfb5-9b7e3f81a702

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/creamy-courgette-lasagne

Courgettes in a fritata with cheese.

Also delicious:
smittenkitchen.com/2017/06/zucchini-grilled-cheese/

When I have green beans I roast or grill them. Usually I put them in a hot iron pan until a bit brown and blistered, turning with tongs. Add a small amount of olive oil, keep turning then when everything has some colour, add a splash of water and cover for a minute or two until tender.
I love them warm with chipotle sauce (chipotles, lemon peel, garlic, smoked paprika, mayo, Greek yogurt) but can just eat them cold like peanuts.

Zucchini Fritti made with ribboned zucchini is one of my all time favourite side dishes.

Crunchy sauteed green beans with soy sauce & toasted seseme seeds is a close second.

Tbh I just stir fry them for a few mins with olive oil and salt and eat on the spot or use to top a salad.

Some great ideas I hadn't thought of, thanks!

Good call on searching courgettes, I forgot that's what half the world calls them!

Pasta nerano is really nice

Cheese and courgette savoury muffins are nice.

Thanks again! I've read a few versions of Pasta Nerano, a la Stanley Tucci. Thanks @BigDahliaFan

I actually just watched an episode of Ina Garten: Be My Guest (Love Ina!) with Stanley Tucci so I have a soft spot for him at the moment.

BUT it seems you have to deep fry the zucchini and I don't deep fry anything in my house. I'm going to try it with a shallow fry anyway, with loads of parmesan.

Meanwhile I reverted to type and made this slice, and added finely chopped pre-cooked beans. It's in the oven now, fingers crossed!

Edited to add- I'm not GF, just only had wholemeal flour in the house and wanted to try this with just eggs/veg/bacon

Easy Zucchini Slice Without Flour - Mad Creations Hub

2 Zucchini sliced and layered in oven proof dish. Mix 4 tbls mayo, 6 tbls milk & tsp curry powder. Pour over and top with breadcrumbs and Parmesan. Dot with butter and bake for 20 mins.

Nice on its own or as a side dish with curries or with plain fish or chicken.

Also zucchini curry soup.