12.29.2005
The Culprit of Bitter Zucchini
One of our favorite meals is sauteed zucchini, toasted pine nuts, fresh basil, coarsely chopped Uglyripes and pasta (and salt, pepper and olive oil of course). It's lightning-fast to prepare, is eaten slightly warm to room temperature and the leftovers make a killer frittata. However, recently our local market has been selling us zucchini that's pretty darn bitter.
I poked around the web looking for the cause. Apparently, a class of steroids called Cucurbitacins (depicted is Cucurbitacin E) are responsible for making eggplant, cucumbers and various varieties of squash bitter. Produce Pete (who, incidentally, should put up a blog) suggests selecting zucchini that are small and shiny. The larger the fruit the more likely they are to possess these bittering agents.
We here at Dave's Beer are contemplating soaking a split zucchini in brine (akin to the treatment some give Eggplant) to remedy the situation. Anyone ever try this? Leave your experience in the comments. Thanks.
One of our favorite meals is sauteed zucchini, toasted pine nuts, fresh basil, coarsely chopped Uglyripes and pasta (and salt, pepper and olive oil of course). It's lightning-fast to prepare, is eaten slightly warm to room temperature and the leftovers make a killer frittata. However, recently our local market has been selling us zucchini that's pretty darn bitter. I poked around the web looking for the cause. Apparently, a class of steroids called Cucurbitacins (depicted is Cucurbitacin E) are responsible for making eggplant, cucumbers and various varieties of squash bitter. Produce Pete (who, incidentally, should put up a blog) suggests selecting zucchini that are small and shiny. The larger the fruit the more likely they are to possess these bittering agents.
We here at Dave's Beer are contemplating soaking a split zucchini in brine (akin to the treatment some give Eggplant) to remedy the situation. Anyone ever try this? Leave your experience in the comments. Thanks.
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Bitterness in zucchini appears when they're old. Since it's not zucchini season, you're probably buying and eating zucchini that's been picked quite some time ago. When you're buying zucchini, pinch the ends - they should be as firm as firm can be. Those are fresh zucchini and will be sweet with nary a trace of bitterness around. I'm afraid you've just gotten a batch of stale zucchini...probably shipped in from far away.
Hi Luisa,
I suspect you're right about zucchini that's been picked long ago. Winter's just sad for produce around these parts. Thanks for the tip on trying to find good ones though, I'll try it.
I suspect you're right about zucchini that's been picked long ago. Winter's just sad for produce around these parts. Thanks for the tip on trying to find good ones though, I'll try it.
Well, winter's pretty depressing over here in NYC for produce, too. I think I'll go nuts if I see another tuber on my plate for dinner. There's always cabbage, I guess. Sigh. ;)
Hey braised cabbage and egg noodles (with or without kielbasa) is a pretty killer winter dish. I love cabbage.
Hi I just stumbled across your website while doing a search on Cucurbitacins.
In the Carribean we use soak most bitter vegetables such as eggplant , zucchini in warm water and salt for a good hour .
After soaking u drain well, then dry off on papper towels to get rid of excess water. You are then, all set for cooking whether it be deepfrying , stews etc.
I find that deep frying such veges in grapeseed oil helps alot.
Good Luck!
In the Carribean we use soak most bitter vegetables such as eggplant , zucchini in warm water and salt for a good hour .
After soaking u drain well, then dry off on papper towels to get rid of excess water. You are then, all set for cooking whether it be deepfrying , stews etc.
I find that deep frying such veges in grapeseed oil helps alot.
Good Luck!
Thanks for stopping by and thanks for that suggestion. I'll definitely use it next time moreso for eggplant I think.
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