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Zucchini, Courgettes
Scientific Name: Cucurbita pepo
Family: Cucurbitaceae
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In Britain they are called Courgettes. Their fruits are eaten when unripe, and since the younger ones are preferred they are often sold still bearing the corolla. Zucchini are annual herbaceous plants with sturdy running stalks which can easily grow up to 3 - 4 feet or more in length. The leaves, large, hispid, wrinkled, and lobed, are supported by long, thick, completely hollow petioles. Like the majority of Cucurbitaceae, zucchini bear staminate and pistillate flowers separately on the same plant. They are therefore monoccious plants with unisexual flowers. The pistillate (female) flowers have small ovaries just behind the flower that develops into the fruits. The staminate (male) flowers have large and showy corollas with petals fused together, and are a beautiful golden-yellow color. They can be distinguished from the pistillate flowers because they have longer and thinner peduncles. and, of course, no ovaries. These flowers are sometimes sold in continental markets in little bunches. They are good dipped in a batter of milk and flour and then fried. The fruits of the cultivars used when still unripe, called by the Italian name, zucchini, are for the most part smooth and cylindrical, sometimes also globular. They are in general, uniformly dark or light green; but some cultivars are variegated; among these is the so-called "Italian straited." Some botanists, including Naudin, have subdivided the polymorphic category of the exponents of Cucurbita pepo into seven groups. Today, within the zucchini, there are numerous, very popular cultivars. Some of the best known are the Apulia straited, the green round, the Bolognese or the Faenza gardener with long ovoid fruits; various new American varieties with cylindrical, dark green fruits, such as the Ambassador, the various Black Jack, Store's Green, Super Diamond, and others. Dietetically, zucchini are highly recommended. Boiled and seasoned with oil and lemon juice they are easily digestible and therefore good for convalescents or people on strict diets. The solid residue of zucchini is 6%; a small amount of protein, no lipids, carbohydrates 2 - 3%, ash 1%. There are only 8 calories in 3 1/2 ounces (100 grams). Zucchini are thought to have a considerable diuretic action and to be effective against constipation because of the mucilage they contain. If the thought of boiled zucchini seasoned only with oil and lemon juice appears unappetizing, the numerous other ways in which they can be prepared must be remembered. They are very good after being dipped in batter or in egg and bread crumbs and fried; stuffed; stewed separately or with other vegetables such as eggplants, tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, etc. A typical dish of southern Italy is tenerume: the very young shoots, together with flowers and leaves, are picked, cleaned, boiled, and then sautéed with garlic and chili pepper. [Bianchini, Francesco, Corbetta, Francesco, Pistoia, Marilena, The Complete Book of Fruits and Vegetables, United States Translation: Crown Publishers, New York, 1976; Originally published in Italy as I Frutti della Terra, Arnoldo Mondadori Publisher, Italy, 1973]