Courgettes for inspiration

 There can be nothing more delectable than freshly picked baby courgettes, boiled or steamed and sprinkled with an olive oil and lemon juice dressing.    Also the large ones can be fried, stuffed, stewed and roasted.   Combined with other ingredients one can make delicious soups, pies, tarts and even cakes. A wonderful vegetable, that I intend growing in my garden, next year.    

  

 COURGETTE SOUP

You can prepare this delicious soup with leftover vegetables.

750 g (1 ½ lb) courgettes, thickly sliced

2 leeks, white parts only thickly sliced

1 large onion, thickly sliced

1 clove garlic

4 medium potatoes, cut into chunks

2 scant tbsp butter or margarine

1 litre (4 cups) tasty, hot vegetable or chicken stock

1 bouquet garni (1 bay leaf – 2 sprigs of dill -1 sprig of parsley)

1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper

2-3 tbsp yellow cheese of your choice

Salt

1 liqueur glass of brandy, optional

Cream for serving 

      

        Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat, and stir in the vegetables and keep stirring for about 5 minutes.    Pour in the stock and the bouquet garni and simmer,  covered, for 20 minutes, and allow to cool.  Discard the bouquet and blend the vegetables until smooth.  Heat the soup, add the cheese and the Cayenne, taste and add salt, if necessary.

         Just before serving, reheat the soup, add the brandy, if using, and simmer for 2 minutes more.  Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with cream.

                                                                     

  STUFFED COURGETTE FLOWERS

   

This is my own recipe for stuffed courgette flowers.   You could prepare the stuffing with any cheese you like, bacon or ham, onions, scallions, a vegetable of your chose and an ingredient to bind all together such as eggs and bread crumbs.

25-30 courgette flowers, stem and calyx removed and carefully washed

Stuffing:

2 tbsp olive oil

4 leeks (white part only) finely chopped

2-3 spring onions, finely sliced

500 g (1 lb) courgettes, coarsely grated

Very little salt

A knob of butter

250 g (½ lb) bacon finely chopped, sauteed and patted with kitchen paper

2 tbsp dill, finely chopped

200 g (almost 7 oz) graviera from Crete, or gouda or a mild Cheddar, grated

90 g (3 oz) kefalotyri  or pekorino or Parmesan, grated

250 g (½ lb) anthotyro, grated or

200 g (a small tub) thick Greek yogurt, stirred

3 medium eggs, beaten
120-150 g ( 4-5 oz)  dried bread crumbs or more, if necessary

1 tsp pepper or less if preferred

Salt to taste

(You will have left over stuffing to make a tart or au gratin)

250 ml (1 cup) tasty, hot vegetable or chicken stock or more, if necessary

Sauce:

4 tbsp butter

4 heaped tbsp cornflour

1 small sprig of sage

750 ml (3 cups) hot vegetable or chicken stock

Nutmeg

White pepper

125 ml (½ cup) cream or more

          First prepare the stuffing.  Gently sauté the leeks and the spring onions in olive oil, sprinkle with salt, add a little hot water, cover the saucepan and simmer until the vegetables are soft, adding more hot water, if necessary.  Then add the courgettes and simmer, covered until soft and dry.   Stir in the butter and reverse into a bowl.   Add the bacon, dill, cheeses, yogurt, if using, the dried bread crumbs and the pepper.    Taste and add salt keeping in mind that the eggs will be added last.  This should be a very tasty filling.

          Fill the flowers carefully, as they are very fragile.  Place a teaspoon of filling into each flower, drawing the petals over to secure it from falling out.   In a large flat saucepan arrange each stuffed flower next to the other (standing on the stem portion).  When the saucepan is full, add the stock and cover the flowers with baking parchment and the saucepan lid, and bring gently to a boil.   Remove the saucepan from the stove and place it in an oven heated to 180 C (350 F) for about 30 minutes, adding more hot stock whenever needed.

         Meanwhile, prepare the sauce.  Melt the butter and sift in the cornflour, stirring for 2-3 minutes, over low heat.  Add the warm stock in portions, and each time, whisk the sauce until it has thickened. Add the nutmeg and the sage and correct the seasoning.   Add some stock and barely simmer for 10 minutes more, remove the saucepan from the fire and keep the sauce hot.  Just before serving discard the sage, sprinkle with lemon juice to accentuate the taste and stir in the cream.

       

   Serve the courgettes flowers, with the stem part facing up, cover with hot sauce and garnish with sprigs of fresh sage.

         

       

COURGETTE AND WALNUT CAKE

    

 Try baking this cake and improve it according to your taste.  I’m giving you the ingredients for a small loaf tin.

125 ml (½ cup) mild olive oil

200 g (1 cup) sugar

2 medium-sized eggs

30 g (1 oz) melted dark chocolate, cooled

Vanilla

130 g (1 cup) self-raising flour, mixed with

½ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda

A pinch of salt

½ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

¼ tsp ginger powder

¼ cup coarsely cut walnuts, sprinkled with

2 tbsp of the flour mixture

          Whip the olive oil and sugar until the sugar melts.  Add the eggs, one at a time,  the cooled melted chocolate and the vanilla and stir until no streaks are visible.  Fold in the flour and, finally, the walnuts.  Pour the batter into a buttered loaf tin, lined with parchment paper, and bake in an oven, preheated to 180 C (350 F) for 35-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.  Serve the cake at room temperature.