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Zucchini Leaves


Gul_Dekar

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I saw some zucchini flowers at Chinatown and bought some to stuff with. However, it also came with a lot of zucchini leaves, so I was wondering if people eat the leaves too? And if so, how do you cook 'em?

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Gul_Dekar, I've never actually eaten zucchini leaves. However, while I was visiting Guatemala a few weeks ago, my host told me that the leaves of certain squashes ARE eaten. Since zucchini is a type of squash, I assume you could eat those leaves, too.

Here is a link to a Oaxacan recipe for "Sopa de Guias" that uses squash vine and leaves.

Nikki Hershberger

An oyster met an oyster

And they were oysters two.

Two oysters met two oysters

And they were oysters too.

Four oysters met a pint of milk

And they were oyster stew.

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In one of her books, Diane Kochilis mentions that zucchini leaves are often eaten in Greece, boiled and dressed with olive oil and lemon juice (?? I don't remember all that clearly what she said, and I don't have the book).

There wasn't actually a recipe, it was more of an aside.

I've cooked pumpkin leaves and stalks quite recently, stir frying a little garlic, then adding the chopped leaves and water, and boiling until soft enough to eat. All that is required after that is a little salt. The recipe sounds Chinese or South-East Asian, but is actually Indian.

I don't see why the zucchini leaves wouldn't benefit from the same treatment.

BTW, as far as I know, ALL squash/pumkin leaves and stalks are edible. Some of the stalks do need to be peeled before cooking, though, to remove hairy or woody portions.

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Young zucchini leaf buds are considered a delicacy in Southern Italy where you can find them on offer as talli or tenerume. I've mainly seen them used in soups or as a boiled green served as anzu mentioned.

On the other hand, I've never seen the fully grown leaves used anywhere. My suspicion was always that they become to hard to be palatable, but I'd love to be wrong on that. I'd have another new thing to try out that way :wink: .

Il Forno: eating, drinking, baking... mostly side effect free. Italian food from an Italian kitchen.
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