Courgette

Cut them into thick slices or chunks and cook them in a hot pan in a single layer, rather than crowding them. For roasting, spread them on a tray and roast at 220 °C for about 20 minutes, turning once.

No: the skin is tender and the small seeds are edible, so simply wash the courgette and trim off the ends. If a very large one has a spongy, seedy centre, scoop that part out before cooking.

Keep them unwashed in the fridge, ideally in a loose bag or the vegetable drawer, and use them while they are firm. Once cut, wrap the pieces or put them in a covered container and use within a few days.

Yes, but they soften after thawing, so frozen courgette is best for soups, sauces and stews. Slice or grate it, blanch slices for about a minute in boiling water, cool quickly in iced water, drain well and freeze.

Grate courgette into fritters or savoury muffins, or slice it lengthways and layer it in a vegetable lasagne. It also works well in ratatouille, where it simmers with aubergine, peppers, tomatoes and onion.

Yes. Wash it first, then shave or slice it finely for salads, or cut it into sticks for dipping; small, firm courgettes are especially pleasant raw.

They are the same vegetable: courgette is the usual British English name, while zucchini is used in other varieties of English. Both names refer to an immature summer squash.