Zucchini is a popular summer squash with a thin edible skin and soft edible seeds. It has a cylindrical shape and a slightly curved, smaller stem end. The skin is light or dark green in color and it sometimes has faint yellow stripes. The off-white flesh is tinged with green. It has a mild, delicate flavor. Zucchini are grown on vines from flowers that are sometimes eaten. The most common market length for zucchini is 4 to 8 inches long, but they can vary greatly from finger size to almost 2 feet long. The large specimens are usually home grown. Zucchini is also known as Italian squash in the United States or courgettes in both Great Britain and France.

• Zucchini can be eaten raw in salads and as appetizers.
• It is often cooked alone or used as an ingredient in soups, stews, casseroles, vegetable dishes and quick breads. It is also stuffed.
• Zucchini is a major ingredient in Mediterranean dishes, such as ratatouille and moussaka.

There are several varieties of zucchini. There are light green and dark green slender vegetables as well as round green globes.

Zucchini are available all year with their peak season from July to September.

Choose zucchini that are heavy for their size, firm and well shaped. They should have a bright color and be free of cuts and any soft spots. Small zucchini are more tender because they have been harvested when they were young.

1 pound zucchini = 3 medium; 2-1/2 cups cubed.

Refrigerate zucchini, unwashed, in a perforated plastic bag for up to 5 days.

Rinse zucchini under cold running water, scrubbing lightly with a vegetable brush. Trim off both ends with a utility knife. Peeling is not necessary. Cut the zucchini into slices or chunks before cooking.

Since zucchini has such a high water content, it does not require long cooking. Cook zucchini only until it is crisp-tender. It may be boiled, steamed, sautéed or fried. Its mild flavor combines well with many other vegetables, especially tomatoes and green bell peppers.