COPING WITH COURGETTES

I have received a request for some recipes that use courgettes, I suspect that someone other that myself has an embarrassment of these vegetables, they certainly have been prolific this year. Here goes.
Tomato and courgette pasta
1 pack fresh penne
3 or 4 courgettes, some of mine are so enormous that 1 would be sufficient.
2 tins chopped tomatoes
half a tube of tomato purree
2 clove of garlic c
1 small onion roughly chopped
Fresh basil, thyme, rosemary and marjoram , a tablespoon of each if you have them, if not don't panic a teaspoon of Italian seasoning will do.
Two tablespoons of olive oil
1 large mozzarella ball
4 oz of Cheshire cheese, crumbled
salt and pepper

Put the tomatoes, tomato purree, garlic and onions in to a blender with the herbs and blitz until smooth. Simmer gently in a saucepan for fifteen minutes.

While you wait slice the courgettes to about the thickness of a pound coin. Put the olive oil in a large frying pan and heat. Add the courgettes and turn in the hot oil for a few minutes without browning then add half a pint of water and cover and cook over a low heat until they begin to soften , stirring once or twice. This is called fat steaming.
While this is going on fill a large pan with water and bring to the boil, add salt and then the pasta. When the courgettes begin to soften remove for the heat and our the remaining water in to the boiling pasta. Cook the pasta according to the pack instructions. Slice the mozzarella then heat your grill.
Once the pasta is cooked drain and put half in to a greased baking dish and layer the courgettes on to followed by the mozzarella. Add half the pasta sauce then the rest of the pasta. Pour the remaining sauce over the top, sprinkle on the cheese and grill until the cheese is bubbling.
Serve this dish with a crisp salad and some garlic bread.

COURGETTE SOUP
6 Courgettes
4 cloves of garlic
1 onion roughly chopped
A good hand full of sorrel leaves if you have them, for the lady who asked for these recipe I can send you some sorrel via my son.
Otherwise use carrot and a parsnip
Stock, a cube will be fine
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 oz butter
half a pint of skimmed milk
I tub crème fraich
Chop every thing except the sorrel and sauté in the oil and melted butter until they begin to often a little. Pour over enough stock to cover and simmer for thirty minutes.

Pour some of the milk in to a blender and add some of the vegetables, blitz until smooth and pour in to a large sauce pan,then repeat this process until all the vegetables and milk are used up, in the final blitz add the sorrel and the crème fraich. Stir thoroughly and re heat, do not boil. Check for seasoning and add more if you wish. Serve with crusty bread and a sprinkle of parmigiana or if you prefer croutons are also good.

BAKED COURGETTES AND HAM IN A CHEESE SAUCE

For the sauce 2oz butter malted
1 tablespoon of plain flour
1 pint of milk
6 oz cheddar cheese
salt to taste

3 courgettes about 6” long
6 slices of ham
2 0z grated parmigiana

Melt the butter in a saucepan .add the four and stir briskly to form a paste, remove from the heat and add the milk whisking constantly then return to the heat and bring to the boil then reduce heat and cook for four minutes stirring all the time.

Split the courgettes in half and fat steam as described as described in the first recipe. When they are just beginning to soften wrap each half courgette in a slice of ham ans lay in a greased baking dish, when all six are done pour the cheese sauce over the wrapped courgettes and sprinkle the parmigiana on the top. Bake in a preheated oven for about fifteen minutes at 180oC. This makes a great supper dish or a lunch for three on its own or with a salad of tomato and basil.

I hope these recipes help I have more if you need them, let me know if so, Love Avie.X