Courgettes - a favourite summer crop
Courgettes (zucchini to some) are easy to grow and many vegetable growers can find themselves with a glut - they are not highly flavoured and they do have a very high water content so careful preparation and interesting flavourings will ensure you get the best from summer courgettes. Because of their high water content don't boil them or you will end up with a mush.
A beautiful illustration of the edible courgette flower. Taken from gaynorsflora.com
For a simple side dish or a nice addition to a salad then cooking sliced courgettes on a griddle is a very tasty way to prepare them and better than frying. Slice them quite thinly lengthwise and cook them on a hot griddle lightly brushed with olive oil, turn a few times until they are little charred in places. Once cooked add a good squeeze of lemon and salt and pepper - they can be eaten hot or cold.
Griddled courgettes, delicious with a generous squeeze of lemon.
Courgetti – this is a bit of a craze at the moment, if it has passed you by - courgetti are thin strips of courgette (spaghetti shaped) created either using a special spiralizer machine or by hand using a julienne peeler/slicer. The courgetti can be substituted for pasta or eaten raw as part of a salad. If you want to eat the courgetti hot then the best thing to do is to either blanch them by putting them in a sieve, pouring boiling water over them and then drain well alternatively flash fry them in a small amount of oil.
Courgetti are great with pesto or other fresh summery sauces – try with sun-dried tomatoes, fresh pesto and mozzarella. Courgetti can be added to soups and are lovely raw in a salad – they have a mild taste so are good with a well-flavoured salad dressing.
Cheesy Baked Courgettes
Courgettes work well baked in the oven with a cheesy topping, you can create and adjust the topping according to what you have to hand. Both the suggestions below are enough for 4 medium courgettes, pack them tightly into a roasting tin and bake in a medium/hot oven 200C/180C fan/gas 6 for about 35 minutes.
Cut the courgettes in half lengthwise, if they are particularly large then scoop out the seeds, spread the topping over the courgettes and cook till lightly browned and bubbling.
Topping 1 - Mix a tub of ricotta with the zest of a lemon along with a very finely chopped chilli (or chilli flakes), some herbs (basil, mint or parsley are all good) and 4tbsp of dried breadcrumbs.
Topping 2 - Mix together 4 tbsp of chopped olives, 6 tbsp of grated parmesan, 2tbsp of finely chopped rosemary and 4tbsp of bread crumbs
Courgettes are part of the same family as marrows and squashes.