what is the difference between a marrow and zucchini?

[mousymouse]

my parents have the garden full of zucchini. but they let them grow as big as marrows. so I wonder if there is a difference at all.
tough skin-big seeds, seem very similar to me.
still very yummy in ratatouile (sp?)...

I was going to say that marrows are usually bigger than courgettes.

Ratatouille yummy I agree,I made a huge panful yesterday and as the dcs don't like it will probably be eating it for nthe next week or so:O

A zucchini and a courgette are the same thing - zucchini Italian name and courgette French. Both mean baby marrow. Let the fruit on the plant grow big enough and it is termed a marrow.

Marrows aren't as tasty and contain more water so need treating like aubergines to get rid of their excess water. If you want to use in ratatouille, peel, deseed and cut into chumks, sprinkle over salt and drain for an hour to get rid of excess water. Squeeze gently through a tea towel. Then dry out in a low oven for an hour or so. Then use as normal in a ratatouille. If you don't do this, the ratatouille will be very watery and lack flavour.

Pick them as small as you can! Imo a courgette is born with all the flavour it will ever have. The bigger they get, the more diluted it will be.

They make loads anyway, even more so if you pick em young as they think they haven't set seed yet and keep on going. If they grow big you just get fewer and they take loads of water, that you then try and get out of them to make them tasty. I start picking when they are little bigger than your finger and then struggle to keep up with them for the rest of the summer.

Thinly slice, grill or griddle and toss in lemony dressing. Yum.