Oh the delights of cooking in a new kitchen, especially as said kitchen is my favourite room in the new flat. Still in need of some colour, shelving and lots of other things, but I am already in love with the light and the views I have when cooking. The upset of switching from gas to induction has been totally forgotten about. My pots and pans, spices and utensils have all found their happy place, and we are now back in business, much to the boys’ (and my) delight.
So this week we are going to dive headfirst into the wonderful world of courgettes. With summer in full swing this vegetable is stealing the spotlight on my plate with its versatility. Depending on how much time you have, how naughty you feel and how hungry you are, our good friend the courgette will always be there for you in one form or the other.
Seeing as these recipes are dead simple, it is of the utmost importance to select the best courgettes possible. A few tips on that:
- When talking about courgettes, size matters! And the smaller ones are the ones you want. Larger ones tend to be full of water and flavourless.
- Must be firm to touch, soft squishy ones are past their time.
- A vibrant and rich colour (green, yellow or white) means good flavours.
The first one up is a no-cook salad which is a very refreshing and incredibly simple way to use up lots of courgettes. This is one of my staple dishes when I put on a summer spread, it never fails to impress.
Shaved courgette salad
Prep time: 5 mins
Serves 4 as a side
Ingredients
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 2 lemons
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 medium-size courgettes
A big handful of picked mint leaves
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted (anything crunchy works here)
Small wedge of Parmesan cheese for shaving
Instructions
Whisk oil, lemon juice, salt, black pepper and set dressing aside.
Using your vegetable peeler working from top to bottom of each courgette, slice into ribbons (about 1/16 inch thick). Place ribbons in a large bowl. Add mint and nuts, then dressing; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Using vegetable peeler, shave strips from Parmesan wedge over salad.
I like mine zingy and fresh rather than drowning in olive oil with lots of parmesan.
Next one up, is another combination of courgette with an italian cheese, it’s a winner. I had forgotten how much I loved ricotta until I bought some again last week. Sweet, with notes of milk and very delicate, it marries well with punchy flavours like the marinated courgettes below.
Marinated courgettes with ricotta
Prep time: 10 mins + at least 2 hours marinating)
Serves 2 for a light lunch
Ingredients
2 medium size courgettes, (cut into rounds about 1cm thick)
2 garlic cloves roughly chopped
50ml of olive oil
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp white wine vinegar
½ tsp chilli flakes
Ground pepper
A good handful of mint
Dried rosemary
200gr Ricotta
A good handful of fresh peas, (lightly blanched)
Chilli flakes
Instructions
Heat a pan (or griddle pan) over a medium-high heat
Drizzle over oil in the pan, put the courgette and garlic in and coat evenly. Cook in batches for 3-4 mins on each side, until charred and soft
Transfer to a bowl, then add the lemon zest and juice, white wine vinegar, chilli flakes, black pepper, dried rosemary
Toss together, then transfer to an airtight container, along with any liquid from the bowl. Add the remaining oil, then marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight, if you have time.
Remove the courgettes from the fridge 30 mins before serving to come to room temperature
Spread the ricotta on a plate, cover with the courgette mix and some of the oils, fresh peas, and add the mint. Season with salt and pepper, and chilli flakes.
Enjoy your courgettes!
I will be adding a new section to the newsletter in the form of weekly restaurant recommendation. You can save it for your next travels! I get messages on a weekly basis for restaurant recommendations, not only in Lisbon where we live but also Paris and London where we used to live and plenty of other places I’ve travelled to just to eat!
And how could I possibly start this section with anywhere else but Restaurant le Maquis in 18th arrondissement of Paris. Yes, I am unbiased, as it is my brother’s place, but I can firmly say it is my favourite restaurant in Paris. If I lived there (and for some reason didn’t feel like cooking anymore) I would eat there everyday.
Produce is king here, they only work with the best they can find. The menu changes everyday, so you will never be eating the same dish twice. The price is unbeatable for what lands on your plate. And the service is charming. These guys are real artists and their food is exactly what I love, seasonal, local and honest.
If you are in Paris go now! If not, write it down and book next time you are there.