PATTY PAN

From the same family as the courgette, this squash might sound as if it's an oriental import, but the specimens you see here have cost no more 'food miles' than a trip from Emneth!

It's a small round flattish summer squash, about 6-8 cm across, with fluted edges -- the shape has been described as a muffin that's been sat on. As well as the predominantly yellow variety shown here, it comes in white or green. They have a small stalk and feel quite heavy for their size. You may also encounter them under their alternative names of 'custard squash' or 'custard marrow'.

You can cook them in the same ways as courgettes -- bake them in an oven, slice and fry in butter or oil, or eat them raw as a salad vegetable. A big bonus is that they don't have to be peeled (disproportionately wasteful in a small oddly-shaped vegetable) -- just wash them clean and trim the ends. Then choose to cook them whole or slice into disks. They'll keep in a fridge for at least three days.

We searched the Internet for some patty pan recipes and found the remarkable (but untried) Patty Pan Lasagna (click to see it). We also encountered one of unexpected hitches of searching the Web -- copious references to Beatrix Potter's 'The Tale of the Pie and the Patty-Pan' -- it's about a pan for making patties!