Happiness month day 14 – a glut of food!

I don’t know about you, but here in the garden of Chez Green we have a glut of courgettes (zucchini). There’s nothing quite like free food for sharing during day 14 of Happiness Month!

Unfortunately this vegetable doesn’t store well and freezing it turns it into a mushy green mess.

I thought I’d share three of our favourite recipes for using them up before they turn into watery marrows!

Mediterranean Style Courgettes (serves 2-4)

This is a great vegan recipe which is a favourite here as it is so versatile. You can ring the changes with whatever ingredients you have to hand. It’s quick and simple to make and frugal too – if you’re growing onions, peppers and tomatoes, the ingredients cost next to nothing:

Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
8 oz cooked beans of your choice – haricot or chick peas are our favorites
14 oz tin chopped tomatoes (or fresh if you have them)
1 lb courgettes, slicked thickly
1 tsp dried oregano or handful fresh basil leaves

Method

Heat the oil and fry the onion, garlic and pepper gently for 5 minutes until beginning to soften
Add the remaining ingredients, stir well, cover and cook for 30 minutes until the courgettes are cooked.

Serve with rice, millet or as a side vegetable dish

Creamy courgette and leek soup (serves 2)

I love this recipe – it’s a rich, creamy soup that tastes like one of those really expensive ones you’d find in the chiller cabinet. Fortunately it’s simple to make, virtually takes care of itself although gives the impression that you’ve been slaving in the kitchen for the afternoon!

Ingredients

1 small leek
1 medium courgette
2 plum tomatoes
1/2 tsp dried herbs
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 – 1/2 pint vegetable stock
1/4 – 1/2 pack Boursin garlic cream cheese
Method

Next time you have the oven on (I prepare the vegetables while Sunday lunch is cooking, keep the veg overnight and make the soup on Monday) roast the vegetables and herbs: place them in a roasting dish with the oil, cover with foil and bake for around 30-45 minutes at 180 degrees.

Leave the veggies to cool slightly, then tip all the juicy ingredients into a blender with the garlic cream cheese.

Blitz until smooth and thin to the desired consistency with the soup with vegetable stock if you need to, it will depend on how much juice the roasting releases from your veggies as to how much you need.

Serve with home made bread 🙂

Chocolate and courgette cake

When I first made this for Little Miss Green she didn’t believe it had courgettes in it – I had to make it again with her by my side to prove it! If you can use carrots, why not courgettes I say. Mixed with cocoa powder, this is a decadent treat with just a little bit of goodness in it so you can have your cake and eat it 😉
This recipe is adapted from one I found on the Riverford Organics site:

Ingredients

350 gm plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
4 tbsp cocoa
120 gm softened butter
125 ml oil; grapeseed or sunflower is best
200 gm soft brown sugar
3 eggs
130 ml milk
450g courgettes, peeled and finely grated
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Method

Preheat oven to 180
Sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder together in a large bowl
In another bowl cream the butter, oil and sugar until light and fluffy.
Gradually add the eggs and milk until thoroughly mixed.
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet along with the courgettes and vanilla
Spoon into a square cake tin, smooth the top with a palette knife and bake for 35 -45 minutes.

I want to mention another recipe that Jennifer from Monkey Butt Junction mentioned on twitter last week too called “Grilled Zucchini Caprese andwiches” Don’t they sound divine?!

What about you – what is your favourite recipe for using up courgettes?