Simple and delicious Italian antipasto dish. All you need is a ridged griddle pan; a mandolin slicer (or a very sharp knife and a good eye); plenty of fresh mint; good quality wine vinegar; a clove of garlic; and good quality extra virgin olive oil.
Trim the courgettes. If they're not especially straight, take a thin slice off one side to give you a straight surface to work with. Slice very thinly lengthwise. A mandolin slicer makes life easier.
If you have plenty of courgettes, work in batches. Don't overcrowd the griddle pan, keep the slices separated.
Brush one side of each slice lightly with some olive oil, put them (oil down) on a very hot griddle pan. As soon as you see ridge marks appearing, turn them with tongs. Don't overcook them, just soften them. They will cook on later in a marinade.
Remove them to a flat dish with sides. Sprinkle liberally with good quality wine vinegar. Don't be timid with the vinegar, this is a hearty, rustic dish. Tear up some fresh mint and distribute it. Use the tongs to turn the courgettes to coat them. The smell of the vinegar, fresh mint and chargrilled courgette is wonderful.
Repeat the process until you've used up the courgette slices. Add the vinegar and torn-up mint each time, give it all a stir around each time.
Peel and lightly crush a clove of garlic, tuck it in amongst the courgettes and mint. Season very well. Sea salt is great if you have it, and freshly-ground black pepper.
Add some good quality extra virgin olive oil. How much depends on how many courgettes and how much vinegar you've used. Don't submerge them in the oil. If you think you've used, say, a couple of tbsps of vinegar, add that much oil and some more.
Give everything a very good stir. Cover with plastic wrap and leave for at least 3 or 4 hours for the flavours to combine and develop. Give things a stir occasionally. You can even leave it overnight. If so, remove the garlic the next day. It doesn't need refrigerating.
I’ve done a raw version before. Cut thin ribbons of courgette with a speed pealer. Add a glug of extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season with salt & pepper. Done!
Yours is a simpler, salad version. Delicious. The vinegar and lemon juice "cook" the courgettes ever so slightly. I would never have thought mint worked with courgettes until I got that recipe from a neighbour here. It always gets an interesting response when I serve it. Everyone knows there's another flavour in there, no one picks it as mint.
That courgette cake looks good. Might give it a try next week.
We’ve got friends round tomorrow so I’ll chuck a load of courgette on the bbq. I just cut them in half length ways and make a few scores. Olive oil, salt and pepper, chuck em on. Squeeze of lemon once they’re done.
I can't add much to this thread as I loathe cooking,the only thing i will say is that Carrots and Peppers pickle very well,this is what I did with stuff my Spanish neighbour gave me!
The whole truth is an instrument that can only be played by an expert.
Womble54 I do a similar risotto but also add finely sliced asparagus stalks to the mix, then toss in the heads at the end. Also deglaze the sautéed rice with vermouth which adds a nice flavour, before adding the stock.
Simple griddled asparagus with sea salt, serve with romesco dipping sauce.
Baby broad beans fried with jamon iberico (or bacon bits) - sauté a little finely chopped onion in a very generous slug or three of olive oil, add the bacon/jamon, stir in the broad beans and simmer gently with the lid on to tenderise the beans a bit, season and serve.
Roasting in olive oil with a dash of sea salt seems to improve flavour and bring out the sweetness of most veg, whether freshly dug charlotte potatoes with rosemary, baby beets with honey and cumin served sprinkled with crumbled feta cheese, roasted Mediterranean veg (pepper, aubergine, courgette, onion, garlic) served with cous cous or quinoa.
i tend to keep things simple with freshly picked veg.
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
Posts
Trim the courgettes. If they're not especially straight, take a thin slice off one side to give you a straight surface to work with. Slice very thinly lengthwise. A mandolin slicer makes life easier.
If you have plenty of courgettes, work in batches. Don't overcrowd the griddle pan, keep the slices separated.
Brush one side of each slice lightly with some olive oil, put them (oil down) on a very hot griddle pan. As soon as you see ridge marks appearing, turn them with tongs. Don't overcook them, just soften them. They will cook on later in a marinade.
Remove them to a flat dish with sides. Sprinkle liberally with good quality wine vinegar. Don't be timid with the vinegar, this is a hearty, rustic dish. Tear up some fresh mint and distribute it. Use the tongs to turn the courgettes to coat them. The smell of the vinegar, fresh mint and chargrilled courgette is wonderful.
Repeat the process until you've used up the courgette slices. Add the vinegar and torn-up mint each time, give it all a stir around each time.
Peel and lightly crush a clove of garlic, tuck it in amongst the courgettes and mint. Season very well. Sea salt is great if you have it, and freshly-ground black pepper.
Add some good quality extra virgin olive oil. How much depends on how many courgettes and how much vinegar you've used. Don't submerge them in the oil. If you think you've used, say, a couple of tbsps of vinegar, add that much oil and some more.
Give everything a very good stir. Cover with plastic wrap and leave for at least 3 or 4 hours for the flavours to combine and develop. Give things a stir occasionally. You can even leave it overnight. If so, remove the garlic the next day. It doesn't need refrigerating.
It's the dish on the right:
I’ve done a raw version before. Cut thin ribbons of courgette with a speed pealer. Add a glug of extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season with salt & pepper. Done!
I’ll add mint next time as that sounds lovely.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/recipes/11726744/Honey-and-Co-book-Courgette-golden-raisin-and-pistachio-cake.html
Just ask @Hostafan1 ... his Lovely Hub likes it so much that he went out and bought more courgettes when they ran out so that he could make it again
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
https://forum.gardenersworld.com/discussion/1014006/our-garden-recipes#latest
https://forum.gardenersworld.com/discussion/1003803/the-virtual-cafe/p1
Happy harvesting
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
We’ve got friends round tomorrow so I’ll chuck a load of courgette on the bbq. I just cut them in half length ways and make a few scores. Olive oil, salt and pepper, chuck em on. Squeeze of lemon once they’re done.
Simple griddled asparagus with sea salt, serve with romesco dipping sauce.
Baby broad beans fried with jamon iberico (or bacon bits) - sauté a little finely chopped onion in a very generous slug or three of olive oil, add the bacon/jamon, stir in the broad beans and simmer gently with the lid on to tenderise the beans a bit, season and serve.
Roasting in olive oil with a dash of sea salt seems to improve flavour and bring out the sweetness of most veg, whether freshly dug charlotte potatoes with rosemary, baby beets with honey and cumin served sprinkled with crumbled feta cheese, roasted Mediterranean veg (pepper, aubergine, courgette, onion, garlic) served with cous cous or quinoa.
i tend to keep things simple with freshly picked veg.