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Courgettes
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COURGETT E RECIPES & IMAGES KATHY PATERSON
The incredibly versatile courgette often gets a bad rap as being a bit tasteless, but if you take a closer look, they are pretty wonderful. Eaten raw (my personal favourite), cooked until just bite-tender or slow-cooked in olive oil and finished with a few good squeezes of lemon juice and a handful of basil leaves are all cooking techniques that can bring the courgette life and give you enjoyment.
COURGETTE AND FISH Curry
Both lemon and salt add a depth of flavour to this very simple recipe. You can omit the fish and serve the courgette curry alongside a stirfried chicken dish and rice.
SERVES 4
2 tbsp butter 400g firm white fish fillets, boneless 1 tbsp olive oil 2 shallots, finely sliced ½ tsp ground turmeric ½ tsp ground cumin pinch of dried chilli flakes 4 small courgettes, thinly sliced 200ml coconut milk salt 1 juicy lemon, cut into wedges
Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat and add the butter. As the butter begins to sizzle, put in the fish fillets and cook for 2–3 minutes on each side, or until they are just barely cooked. This will depend on the thickness of the fillets. Transfer to a large plate. Meanwhile, put the oil and shallots in a heavybased saucepan over a low heat. Cook until they begin to soften then add the spices and cook for a further 30 seconds.
Add the courgettes, toss in the spices then pour in the coconut milk. Cook gently until the courgettes still have some bite, just a few minutes. Taste and season with salt. If the sauce is a little too thick, add extra coconut milk or a little water.
Roughly break up the fish fillets and add to the courgettes and very gently mix through. Cook for a further minute to allow the fish to mingle with the light curry flavours. Put in a shallow serving bowl and serve with flatbread, warmed or charred. Give everyone a lemon wedge to squeeze over their plate of curry.
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OTHER IDEAS USING COURGETTES:
Courgette and fresh corn salad with lemon juice, grated Parmesan and a chermoula dressing. Courgette ribbons with croutons, grated Parmesan, plenty of flat-leaf parsley leaves, a little flaky salt and a good lemon and Dijon mustard vinaigrette. Green panzanella, using white sourdough bread, courgette ribbons, cucumber, spring onions, sugar snap peas and fresh mint or basil leaves with a lemon dressing.
COURGETTE AND Noodle Salad
Turn this into a more substantial salad by adding pieces of roast chicken or thin slices of barbecued beef steaks. Squeezing lime or lemon over the final dish is a must to heighten the fresh flavours. It’s a good idea to make the dressing the day before. Taste the dressing before using, and if too tart for you, add salt to soften taste.
SERVES 4
200g noodles, such as green tea or soba noodles 2 tbsp olive oil 2 medium-sized courgettes, trimmed 4 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced ½ medium-sized telegraph cucumber, cut into small pieces 2.5cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated 1 tbsp white sesame seeds, toasted 1 tsp sesame oil 1 lime or lemon, cut into wedges
CITRUS-SOY DRESSING
4 tbsp fresh lime juice (or use 2 tbsp lime juice and 2 tbsp lemon juice) 3 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp rice vinegar 1 tbsp mirin 1 tbsp soft brown sugar pinch of dried chilli flakes
To make the dressing, whisk all the ingredients together and set aside for at least one hour to allow the flavours to mingle. Cook the noodles in plenty of boiling water for 4–6 minutes, depending on how soft you like them or according to the packet instructions. Drain and refresh under cold water. Drain well again then put into a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to prevent them sticking together. Coarsely grate the courgettes or use a vegetable peeler to peel strips (ribbons) from each courgette. Add to the noodles along with the spring onions and cucumber.
Whisk the ginger, sesame seeds and sesame oil into the dressing. Pour over the noodles and vegetables. Gently toss to combine, then put into a serving bowl. Pass around lime or lemon wedges for squeezing over salad.
Kathy Paterson
Kathy Paterson is a recipe developer, food stylist and photographer. A plentiful herb garden and a trial and error vegetable garden give Kathy the starting place for her recipes along with her love of the classics with a modern twist.
