Easy
   Gourmet Dinners

This is incredibly easy to freeze and so plentiful in summer it seems a waste not to.  I do it one of two ways:

To freeze for soup: 

Peel or not, your choice: unpeeled leaves microscopic green flecks in the finished soup which can be quite pretty; peeled leaves the soup a creamy, pale green.  Roughly chop the zucchini and put it into a sauce pan with enough chicken stock to just barely cover.  Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Reduce heat and simmer 10 - 15 minutes.  Turn heat off and let cool.  When cool put into freezer containers or bags and freeze.  I freeze it in 2 cup portions.  Freezer bags work great - you can either lay them flat in the freezer or put them into a container to give them shape - removing when frozen.

To use for soup: Thaw or not.   Saute a roughly chopped onion in 1 tbs butter in medium saucepan.   When onion is tender add zucchini and 1/2 tsp of thyme.   Cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 - 15 minutes. Puree in a blender or use a stick blender.  Add more chicken stock if needed to get desired consistency.  Serve with a dollop of creme fraiche hot in winter, cold in summer.

To freeze for anything else: 

Do not peel.  Shred using large holes on box grater.  Put into a freezer bag and freeze.   I freeze 1 1/4, 2 1/2, and 3 3/4 cup bags.  The extra bit is for the liquid that you loose on thawing - if you want a cup of zucchini, freeze 1 1/4 cups.

To use: I toss into stir-fry's, casseroles, vegetable soups, anything where I want a bit more veg.  I also use it on it's own in gratin's, and most of the recipes I use it for fresh in summer.

To store zucchini(courgette):

Courgette will keep for 5 - 7 days in the refrigerator.  Gently brush off any dirt but do not wash before storing.  Take care to not damage the skin of bruise it.

Cooking Zucchini (Courgette)
      For recipes see Vegetables; Courgette