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COURGETTE RECIPIES WARM CARROT, COURGETTE AND RED PEPPER SALAD 250 g small leafed spinach, washed and drained Wash and dry the spinach leaves and lay them in a shallow serving dish. Cut the courgettes into thick batons. Place the olive oil into a wide casserole dish over low heat. Add the peppers and carrots and season with plenty of salt and pepper. Cover the casserole dish and cook gently for around 25 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the courgettes, cover again and leave for another 10 minutes. The courgettes should be tender but still have their colour. To serve, place the warm salad with its juices onto the spinach leaves. COURGETTE AND CHEESE PILAU 1 onion, peeled and chopped Heat the oil in a pan and add the onion, garlic and chilli and fry for 5 minutes. Next add the courgette and fry a further 5-10 minutes until golden. Remove mixture with a slotted spoon and set aside. Reduce the heat to low and add the bulghar wheat and heat for 30 seconds until the grains are glossy. Add the stock and sultanas. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes until the bulghar has softened and the water has absorbed. Return the courgette and onion mixture to the pan and cook for another 5 minutes until heated through. Add the pine nuts and season with salt and pepper. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cheese. Cover and leave to stand for 5 minutes until the cheese has melted, then stir in the mint. Serve immediately. COURGETTE AND MINT SALAD 500 g courgettes Trim the courgettes and cut into 5 cm long batons. Heat the oil in a pan. Fry the courgettes with the garlic under tender and they begin to brown. As soon as they are done, transfer to a shallow dish and add the wine vinegar and mint. Season to taste and leave to marinate for a few hours before serving. COURGETTES IN SPINACH SAUCE Warmed, this is a lovely winter side dish, although you can also serve it chilled. Serves 4-6 500 g courgettes Slice the courgettes thinly and boil for just a few minutes so that they are still crisp in texture. Place in a serving dish. Boil the spinach in a little water and salt for 6-8 minutes. Drain and puree with the yogurt, garlic and ginger. Season with salt and pepper to taste and spoon over the courgettes. ORIENTAL STYLE COURGETTES 120 ml soy sauce Mix together the soy sauce, ginger, garlic, honey and water. Whisk in the sesame oil. Toss with the courgettes and onion. Cover and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for at least three hours, preferably overnight. Serve chilled. SWEET AND SOUR COURGETTES 500 g courgettes, sliced Heat the oil in a pan on low heat and gently cook the courgettes. Season with lots of black pepper, the cinnamon, wine vinegar and sugar. Keep turning the courgettes over so that they are fully coated in the sauce, although this will slowly evaporate. The courgettes will brown a little and are ready when they have absorbed all of the juices in the pan. Season with more salt if you find it necessary. CHEESY BAKED COURGETTES 1 medium onion, chopped Preheat oven to 190°C/ 375°F/ Gas Mark 5. Heat the oil and soften the onion over low heat, covered, for about 10 minutes, stirring gently from time to time. Add the saffron and season to taste with salt and pepper. Steam the courgette slices until tender. Add to the onions and place in a baking-dish. In a separate bowl, combine the cheese with the beaten eggs and season with salt and pepper. Pour over the vegetables and bake 5 for 20 minutes or until the topping is risen and set. PARMESAN COURGETTES WITH LEMON 500 g small courgettes Cut each courgette into thick batons. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté the courgettes and lemon-peel for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the courgettes have lightly browned. Mix in the Parmesan cheese and pepper to taste. PASTA WITH COURGETTES AND BALSAMIC VINEGAR 1 small onion Peel and chop the onion and garlic. Thinly slice the courgettes. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a frying pan. Add the pine nuts and cook, stirring, over a medium high heat for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside. Add the remaining oil to the pan. Stir the onion and garlic and cook over a gentle heat for 2 minutes to soften. Add the courgettes and increase heat. Cook for about 4 minutes until beginning to brown. Add the parsley, vinegar and water to the pan. Cover and cook gently for 15 minutes, stirring twice. Serve with cooked pasta and grate parmesan over the top. COURGETTES WITH ROSEMARY 1 tablespoon olive oil Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onion and garlic gently for 5 minutes until the onion softens. Add the courgettes and rosemary and sauté, stirring, for a further 3-5 minutes. Add the tomato and vegetable stock and cover. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve sprinkled parmesan cheese. COURGETTES WITH TARRAGON AND CHEESE 450 g courgettes, sliced Sauté the courgettes in the butter until lightly browned and tender. Season with a little salt and pepper. Sprinkle on the spring onions and tarragon and pour in the cream. Heat through for 5-6 minutes, then pour into a serving-dish. Sprinkle the grated cheese over the top and brown quickly under a hot grill. Serve garnished with the sprig of tarragon. RATATOUILLE The best thing about Ratatouille is that it is easy to make and always popular. Aubergines Cut aubergine and courgettes into approximately 1 inch slices. Chop the onions roughly, de–seed the peppers and chop them too. Skin the tomatoes by first plunging them into boiling water for a couple of minutes, and then removing the skins. Quarter them, and extract the seeds. Rinse the aubergine and courgettes. Pat with a kitchen towel to dry. Now fry the onions and garlic gently in the olive oil in a large pan until soft. Cut the aubergine and courgettes into chunks and add them to the pan. Add the basil, salt and pepper (fresh ground black pepper will give the best result) and simmer very gently for about 30 minutes. After that time add the tomato flesh. Leave the lid off and cook for a further 15 minutes. Enjoy! You will be pleased to know that not only is this recipe tasty, it’s packed full of vitamins! ROASTED VEGETABLES 1 aubergine, cut into strips lengthways Preheat oven to 220°C/ 425°F/ Gas Mark 7. Arrange the vegetables in a single layer, except the mushrooms, in a roasting tin. Brush with some olive oil. Bake in the oven until they soften and begin to char around the edges. At this point add the mushrooms, brush them with oil, and then bake for a further 10 minutes. Discard the garlic and arrange the rest of the vegetables in a dish. Mix together the ingredients for the dressing and then pour over the vegetables. Leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes. CARROT AND COURGETTE SOUP This tasty recipe comes from our customer Jean Peasley. Serves 3-4. 50 g (2 oz) butter Melt the butter in a pan and add the carrots and courgettes. Cover and cook gently for 10 minutes until softened. Add the stock, bay leaf, tomato puree and caster sugar. Bring the pan to the boil and then cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and leave the soup to cool slightly. Puree the soup until smooth with a hand blender or in a food processor and season to taste. Reheat gently with out boiling. This soup freezes well. COURGETTES WITH CORIANDER AND CREAM Serve as a side, or spoon over roasted fish. Serves 4 2 tablespoons butter Melt the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and fry for 10 seconds. Add the courgettes and half the coriander; sauté for about 4 minutes or until courgettes are just tender. Add the cream and simmer until juices thin, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with remaining coriander. CARROT AND COURGETTE SALAD A pungent, tangy salad delicious served with Asian, Latin American or Caribbean food. Serves 2-4 1 courgette, sliced in rounds Lightly steam the carrots and courgette and then set them aside to cool. Add the garlic to a salad bowl along with the olive oil, lemon or lime juice. Then add the cooled courgette and carrots and toss. Add salt if you like. Now, carefully chop or tear the herbs, taking care not to crush them, and sprinkle over the salad. COURGETTE WALNUT BREAD Serve cool or warm, with butter or soft cheese. 220 g (8 oz) plain or whole wheat flour Preheat your oven to 165°C, 325°F, gas mark 3. Butter and flour 2 bread pans, muffin tins or a medium cake pan. Whisk the flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, allspice and baking powder in a medium bowl to blend. Whisk the sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, and lemon peel in a large bowl to blend. Whisk in the flour mixture. Mix in the courgette and walnuts. Pour the batter into prepared pans. Bake the breads until a tester inserted into the centre comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes. Turn the breads out onto a rack and cool completely. BALSAMIC COURGETTES Serves 2 as a side dish 450 g courgettes, cut diagonally (fingers-width) Preheat grill. Toss the courgettes with oil, salt and pepper, them arrange them in 1 layer on a shallow baking pan. Grill them close to the heat until browned in spots and soft, about 4 minutes. Drizzle vinegar on the top, shake the pan and grill for another 2 minutes. Sprinkle cheese on the top and grill to melt. Cool to room temperature and serve sprinkled with pine nuts. CHOCOLATE COURGETTE CAKE This moist, decadent cake is reminiscent of carrot cake. The courgette adds a delicate texture and pleasant, mild flavour. It sounds crazy but it works! Serves 6-8 115 g butter • 2 eggs Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F and grease a large baking pan. Cream the butter and eggs together. Once they are creamy, gradually add the sugar, vanilla and oil. Blend or sift the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl and gradually add to the butter mixture. Then slowly blend in the soured milk. Add the chocolate pieces and grated courgette. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a knife inserted into the cake comes out clean. Enjoy hot from the oven or let cool and devour later. BASIC VEGGIE BURGER RECIPE Spice things up! Add corn, black beans and chilli to the mix (plus one extra egg); top with cheese and avocado. 1 &1/2 teaspoons ground dry mustard Combine mustard and egg in a small bowl and set aside for a few minutes. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a medium bowl and toss gently. Add the mustard mixture and combine well. Shape into 4 burgers. The burgers can be baked, grilled, fried or barbecued – if you are going to barbecue them, you may want to pre-bake, so the burgers hold shape. Feel free to experiment and substitute with different veggies! COURGETTE SOUP & GRUYÈRE CROUTONS A good, creamy soup for chilly days. Serves 4-6 2 tablespoons butter Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat; add the onion and sauté until tender, 5 minutes. Add the rosemary, garlic, stock and sliced potato; bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, boil the cubed potato in salted water until just tender; drain and set aside. Add the courgettes to the stock pan and simmer them for 15 minutes. Puree in blender or food processor. Add the cubed potatoes and season to taste with salt and pepper. Toast the breads under the grill until the cheese melts. Serve the soup topped with 1-2 croutons. COURGETTE AND POTATO GRATIN A layered vegetable bake that makes a tasty side dish to any main course. Serves 4-6 4 tablespoons olive oil Preheat oven to 180°C, 350°F, gas mark 4. Grease a baking dish with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Layer half of the potatoes in the bottom, overlapping each other. Season them with some of the thyme and salt, and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add half of the courgettes. Season the dish again and drizzle with more of the oil. Add the second layer of potatoes, then the second layer of courgettes, seasoning again each time. Finish with a drizzle of oil. Cover and bake for about 45 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Remove the cover and bake for a further 15 minutes before serving. GOLDEN BREADED COURGETTES A snack or side dish for 2-4, great hot or at room temperature with cheese or tomato sauce. 2 courgettes, cut diagonally into medium slices Spread out the courgette slices on a tray and sprinkle with a little salt, leaving them for 20 minutes in order to drain any excess water. Dry the slices, dredge in the flour, and dip in the eggs, then press into the breadcrumbs. Fry the courgettes over a medium-high heat in hot oil and butter until they are golden. Drain on absorbent towels and serve. SPICED LAMB STUFFED COURGETTES Serves 4 4 medium courgettes Cut each courgette in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop out the flesh from each piece, leaving a 2 mm border on each shell without piercing the skins. Soak the courgettes in salted water for 10 minutes, then drain them and pat them dry. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onion and cook it over medium heat for 4 minutes, or until soft, then add the pine nuts and cook until golden (about 3 minutes). Cool slightly off the heat and transfer the onions and pine nuts to a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients (except the stock) and mix them up well. Spoon the filling into each courgette half and carefully place them in a wide, heavy saucepan or stove-safe casserole dish. Cover them with the stock, invert a dinner plate over the top of the courgettes, and gently simmer over low heat for 1 hour. Serve with a pasta-style tomato sauce, a salsa, or a mixture of yoghurt, crushed garlic and dried mint. GOLDEN MOZZARELLA COURGETTES Perfect for round courgettes, any colour, or with the long type when sliced in half lengthwise. Serves 2 4-6 round courgettes, tops sliced off Scoop out the centre of each courgette, leaving the shell. Chop the flesh. Preheat your oven to 190°C, 375°F, gas mark 5. In a frying pan over medium heat, sauté the onion, garlic and the chopped courgette flesh in the oil until tender. Remove from the heat, add the cheese, tomatoes and parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stuff the courgettes and place it in a baking dish. Bake them for 45 minutes or until the courgettes are tender and the cheese is golden. Serve warm or at room temperature on a bed of greens, or with a mountain of mashed potatoes! HERBED COURGETTE MEATLOAF A marvellous version of a classic comfort dish. Serve with crushed potatoes and caramelized onions for 4. Turkey is fab if you have it, but chicken, pork or any combination of these can also do wonders. 550g mince Preheat oven to 180C, 350F, gas 4. In a large bowl combine all ingredients except the jam and mustard. Mix well. Shape mixture, on a rimmed baking sheet, into a 20 x 10 x 5 cm (8 x 4 x 2 inch) loaf (or use a loaf pan, though this may change the cooking time). Bake for 45 minutes; remove from oven. Stir jam and mustard together in a small bowl, and spread the glaze over the top of the meatloaf. Return to the oven and bake about 20 minutes more, or until adequately cooked throughout. Transfer to a platter, cut crosswise into slices and serve. RICH COURGETTE RISOTTO Risotto is always divine. Serves 4 as a main dish 4 tablespoons olive oil Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking; add courgettes and a sprinkle of salt. Sauté until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes; remove and set aside. Bring stock to the simmer in a saucepan over low heat; cover and keep warm. Heat remaining oil in a large saucepan over medium heat; add onions and carrots. Sauté to soften; about 3 minutes. Add rice; stir until translucent at edges, 2-3 minutes. Add wine; simmer until absorbed, stirring. Add 200ml stock; simmer, stirring, until absorbed (about 5 minutes). Repeat the process twice more, stirring constantly. Mix in courgettes and 200ml stock; when absorbed, add the butter, Parmesan, and 100ml stock. Simmer until rice and vegetables are just tender, and risotto is creamy, stirring often and adding more stock by small ladlefuls if risotto is dry. Season to taste; serve sprinkled with pine nuts and cheese. |