Sizes of zucchini in recipes

[legend_018]

I've noticed a lot of recipes will call for either small, medium or large zucchini. i also know that in the grocery store, you never really see huge zucchini or squashes, there usually skinny and long, some fatter than others.

Now the gardens around here in NH will produce some fairly medium and large zucchini's and I mean there pretty big.

I've noticed a few recipes where it calls for a medium or large grated and it's been way overkill when I use the ones from the garden around here.

Is this making sense? What sizes do people actually mean when specifying.

 

[Linux]

I've noticed a lot of recipes will call for either small, medium or large zucchini. i also know that in the grocery store, you never really see huge zucchini or squashes, there usually skinny and long, some fatter than others.

Now the gardens around here in NH will produce some fairly medium and large zucchini's and I mean there pretty big.

I've noticed a few recipes where it calls for a medium or large grated and it's been way overkill when I use the ones from the garden around here.

Is this making sense? What sizes do people actually mean when specifying.

Up to about 6-8 inches for main course, or light meals, or as a starter. Anything larger is deemed a marrow, taken out into the back yard and shot.

 

[Andy M.]

It's always a guessing game when a recipe calls for a small, medium or large of something. I'd try to judge based on the sizes you see in the supermarket. So you may have to go with a half or third of a garden grown one.

 

[legend_018]

It's always a guessing game when a recipe calls for a small, medium or large of something. I'd try to judge based on the sizes you see in the supermarket. So you may have to go with a half or third of a garden grown one.

I was thinking that myself. I basically stop when I think it's enough. If I'm off a little - that's OK.

 

[blissful]

I've used small, medium and large, though I peel out the centers on the larger ones--the seeds and foamy middle, leaving the nice flesh to stuff or shred.
This past few years I've run into a type of zucchini that had a very tough skin that doesn't soften upon cooking, in both the long traditional zucchini and the 8 ball variety. I AVOID those now, and only grow zucchini that has the tender skin, it's easier to work with.

If you are baking, say, zucchini bread, the ratio seems to be 2 cups grated zucchini to 3 cups flour in most of the recipes I've seen. Hope that helps.

 

[Claire]

I always prefer the smaller zucchini for anything except stuffing, so just adjust when it is an ingredient. I don't care for the larger seeds, mushier middles, and tougher skins you get with larger squash. I like the firmer flesh, smaller seeds, and thinner skin for sauteing, slicing, julienning, salads, etc. Around here people have proudly presented me with giants from their gardens -- seriously, over a foot long, huge enough to use as a club for a murder weapon. I had the hardest time convincing people that smaller is better when it comes to summer squash and cukes. Oh, well.

 

[blissful]

Claire, I always like your posts. Though, I noticed this summer some plants produced a hard peel other plants a tender one. I never noticed some of the thin skinned plants getting hard as they grew bigger--maybe I should pay attention more, I kind of thought I had paid attention.

Are you saying size matters?