Fun with courgetes...

[jim]

"OOH missus no! Well, please yourself then!" (Frankie Howerd, master of smutty double entendres.)

Now to the serious bit ...

Briam - Greek summer stew

About a pound of courgettes
Same of spuds
Same of tomatoes
1 onion
1 pepper (any colour)
Garlic to taste
Rosemary to taste
salt to taste
10 -20 black peppercorns
4 oz grated cheese
Half a cucumber
Enough olive oil to cover the base of a large fireproof casserole
Oz of breadcrumbs

Put the oiled casserole on to the heat with the rosemary, salt and peppercorns
Slice and seperate the onion into rings
Cut the pepper into cm squares
Put half of each into the oil to soften
Slice the cucumber into discs and put half in a layer over the onions and pepper
Wash the courgettes, cut into discs and put half in a layer above the cucumber
Peel the spuds cut into thin discs and put half in a layer above the courgettes
Chop the garlic and sprinke over the surface
Sprinkle approx a quarter of the cheese over the layer of spuds
Now just continue layering with the other half of the ingredients.
Chop the tomatoes small and pour over the spud layer. Cover with the rest of the cheese
Cover and place into an oven at gas 4 for 40 mins
Remove lid, cover in melted cheese with the breadcrumbs and cook for another 20 mins.

In Greece this is served with fresh bread as a course in its own right or as an accompanyment to roast lamb.

Maltese syle courgettes

1 Spring onion
2 - 3 courgettes
1 teaspoon olive oil
pinch of paprika and black pepper
Foil for wrapping

Washthe courgettes and cut each into 4 longitudanal strips
Lay on the foil
Chop the onion and sprinkle over
Repeat with spices
Drizzle the oil over and seal the package
Cook for half an hour at gas 4 or on a barbecue until courgettes are soft

My Maltese friend eats the mix on toast, bruchetta style or crushes and the mix and uses it to dress pasta

Enjoy yourselves

Love and Peace
Jim

[Rod in Japan]

Have you got a nice recipe up your sleeve for courgettes with advanced flower end rot?

[jim]

Dear Rod in Japan,

When mine go that way I cut away the gungey bit and use the courgette as soon as possible,

Love and Peace
Jim

[Shirley]

They both sound very tasty!

[Rod in Japan]

Thanks Jim, I'll have to try that.

My Mum used to make a version of that first recipe when I was a kid, without the potato and cucumber, and I found it utterly disgusting - the curled up tomato skins, the breadcrumbs and cheese singed into malodorous clumps. I used to cry when I was forced to eat it. I didn't like courgettes then.

I'd like to try that recipe again now. I'm sure it's very good, especially with a glass or two of wine.

[hedgewitch]

Oooh longitudanal, get you!



Both recipes sound fantastic! Courgettes are one of my favourite vegetables I just wish I'd have been able to grow some this year.

Thanks for posting these I'm gonna give the Briam a go for sure.

[jim]

Dear Hedgewitch,

Sorry ....
longitudinal, not with an "a",

I must preview what I write in future,

Love and Peace
Jim

[hedgewitch]

longitudinal, not with an "a",

I knew that!

ahem!

[jim]

Dear Hedgewitch,

I know you did!

Then I looked at my other sp, missed space between words, and insertion of unnecessary word errors and I CRINGED!!!!!

That's why I apologized at the beginning of the last entry.

Thanks for putting me right. At least you didn't make me write it 10X in my correction book!

Love and Peace
Jim (quietly praying I got this one right)

[Shirley]

I tried the Maltese Style Courgettes last night - very tasty! Thank you.

I've got some left so might give the Briam a go - I might even find a cucumber in the garden that the slugs haven't decimated!

[Green Aura]

I do your Greek stew with green beans. Yummy. Bets it's good with courgettes. Will try it soon.

[prison break fan]

I think all courgettes need to be accompanied by several glass of wine now! pbf

[eccentric_emma]

*drinks wine and bites into a courgette*

[sleepyowl]

My favourite courgette recipe is this one

Chocolate Courgette Cake
350g (12.5oz) Self Raising flour
4tsp baking powder
100g (3.5oz) dark brown sugar
200g (7oz) caster sugar
4 tblsp cocoa powder
120g (4.25oz) butter
125ml oil
130ml milk
2tsp vanilla essence
100g (3.5oz) good dark chocolate (70% at least)
3 eggs
450g (1lb) courgettes peeled and finely grated


Method
Pre heat oven to gas 4 or 180c. Cream butter, oil and sugar, beat eggs with milk and add slowly to butter and sugar mix. Add flour, baking powder and vanilla essence, bit by bit until thouroughly combined. Break up chocolate to small pieces and fold into mixture along with the grated courgettes. Put into a well greased 10 inch loose bottom cake tin and place in to top of the oven for 50 to 60 minutes, until skewer comes out clean.

[Shirley]

Mmm yes, I could go for that! Why do you have to peel the courgettes btw? Would it matter if I didn't? (lazy me )