There’s nothing like a few days of interspersed downpours and heatwaves to act as a sort of lottie Viagra. Runner beans are bursting with blossom and baby pods and cascading over the top of their massive frame, sweetcorn is charging skyward, late broad beans are sagging under the weight of their prolific crop, the rhubarb has a new lease of life, and my oh my, here come the courgettes…

Like a classroom of unruly teenagers, the squashes are requiring some daily discipline so that they don’t sprawl out and take over the entire plot. I’m a huge fan of the squash family, especially since I learned last year from a passer-by that the young leaves of these plants are one of the most delicious greens going when fried with garlic - the prickly texture of the leaf creates an inimitable texture in the mouth when cooked – so wonderful.

This year, I’m growing several types which fall more into the squash or pumpkin category, with slowly maturing fruits, but my courgettes / zucchini varieties are really starting to deliver right now, big time. I’ve got some yellow ones and some ridged green “Romanesco” – two plants each – and I can barely keep up.

I’m cutting three or four babies from each plant per day and they keep throwing more my way. Freshly plucked from the plant, it’s almost a shame to embellish the sweet flavour in any way, and I’m mostly steaming or grilling them and eating with a pinch of salt and a few drops of wine vinegar, perhaps sprinkled with chopped mint.

Though I currently can’t see how I can possibly tire of eating them, I know that every courgette grower appreciates some fresh ideas for the glut. A quick plea on Twitter for simple courgette recipes in 140 characters was met with a gush of responses from my creative cooking and gardening friends. @SimonMagus says “slice, blanch, sprinkle with paprika + black pepper, sauté”; @erinehm suggests “coat medium courgette slices in balsamic & grated parm, then dry fry” (very interesting!); @PatrickBarber recommends to “pick courgettes when they're so small they still have flowers attached. Split lengthwise incl. flowers. Sauté w/eggs+chz+hrbs”, and @Allotment_Man agrees: “Oh yes…cut when flower heads are fading, the flavor seems to be at its best. Fast fry till just brown, add garlic last min.”

@ianphischer puts them in his kofta with spicy curry sauce and @stephibobz throws tons into her veggie bean goulash. But then a worrying reply: @foodieguide says, “husband had to help pollinate the courgettes last week with a cotton bud. Sure it's common, but it's not happened to us before...” This does not bode well for our ever diminishing bee population. To understand the gravity of the situation and to find out about ways you can help, have a look here.

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TIP OF THE WEEK: Pick your courgettes before they get much longer than your middle finger. They’re most delicious at this stage and it will also encourage more fruits to form. Some inevitably escape and turn into giant watery batons, but they can still be used in soup, or you can remove the seeds and stuff them.

Seasonal Recipe: Spanish tortilla with Courgettes and Manchego

Choose a smallish, reliable non-stick pan for the tortilla, ideally about 20.5 cm / 8 inches diameter. This may seem too small for the initial frying of the courgettes, but it does work, creating the perfect, juicy thickness, and less washing up.

Ingredients

750g courgettes, sliced quite thinly

2 Tbsp olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 organic eggs

100g Manchego or other hard cheee, cut in small dice

20.5 cm / 8 inch non-stick frying pan (see intro, above)

Method

Heat the pan over a moderate flame and add 1 Tbsp olive oil. Fry the courgettes with a little salt and pepper, moving them around frequently, until soft and golden.

Break the eggs into a large bowl and beat thoroughly with a little more salt and pepper. Stir the courgettes and cheese into the eggs until the courgettes are well coated with egg.

Place the pan back on the heat and add 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Scoop the eggy mixture into the pan.

Cook, loosening the edges from time to time, until the tortilla is deep golden underneath and loose when you shake the pan. Slide onto a plate, place another plate on top and carefully flip over. Slide the tortilla back into the pan and cook until the other side is golden and the egg is cooked throughout. Remove from the pan and cool. Serve warm or cold. Makes 6 servings

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