Fritters and slow-cooked: Ben Tish’s recipes for cooking with courgettes | Food
Courgettes are an early summer delight, when, such is their appeal and versatility, you often can’t move for them in my kitchen. Even so, I am not entirely sure they get the full recognition they deserve in the UK, not least because we grow some marvellous varieties here. I use courgettes in everything from raw salads (very thinly sliced courgettes tossed in salt and lemon) to slow-cooked, crisp-fried (the flowers are especially good stuffed with cheese or meat, then deep-fried) or lightly charred on a barbecue, which brings out a wonderful sweetness; you can even bake them into a deliciously moist cake. Can you show me a more versatile vegetable?
Courgette fritters with cheese, herbs and brown‑butter creme fraiche (pictured top)
Prep 10 min
Salt 10 min
Cook 25 min
Serves 4
3 medium courgettes (about 600g), trimmed and grated
Sea salt and black pepper
120g crumbly cow or sheep’s cheese, drained and crumbled
2 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
1 garlic clove, peeled and grated
Finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
1 large handful mixed picked herbs – dill, mint and parsley
2 eggs
120g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
Olive oil, for frying
For the brown‑butter creme fraiche
60g butter
Juice of ½ lemon
150g creme fraiche
Put the grated courgettes in a sieve, lightly salt them and leave to steep for 10 minutes. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible from the salted courgettes, then mix them in a bowl with the cheese, spring onions, garlic, lemon zest, half the herbs and plenty of black pepper. In a second bowl, whisk the eggs, then beat in the flour and baking powder to make a thick batter. Fold this into the courgette mix until everything is well combined.
For the dip, melt the butter in a frying pan on a medium heat, then cook for about five minutes, until it smells nutty. Stir in the lemon juice, take off the heat and leave to cool. Whisk the cooled brown butter into the creme fraiche and season.
Now to cook the fritters. In a wide pan, heat a shallow layer of olive oil, then fry spoonfuls of the battered courgettes for a couple of minutes on each side, until crisp and golden; work in batches, if need be. Lift out the cooked fritters with a slotted spoon, season while they’re hot, and keep warm in a low oven while you fry the remaining fritters.
Toss any remaining herbs in the hot oil leftin the pan, to fry and crisp up, then drain.
Serve the fritters scattered with the fried herbs and with the brown‑butter creme fraiche for dipping; a drizzle of good olive oil wouldn’t go amiss, either.
Slow-cooked courgettes, preserved lemon and ricotta on toast
Prep 10 min
Cook 35 min
Serves 4
Extra-virgin olive oil
5 medium courgettes (about 850g), trimmed and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 small preserved lemon, flesh removed and discarded, rind finely chopped
Finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
1 pinch chilli flakes, or to taste
1 handful fresh mint leaves
Sea salt and black pepper
4 thick slices sourdough
150g ricotta
Put a large, wide pan on a medium‑low heat, add a splash of good olive oil, then stir in the sliced courgettes and garlic. Turn down the heat, cover the pan and leave the courgettes to collapse gently for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally – you want them to turn almost jammy, and for there to be little liquid left in the pan.
Stir through the chopped preserved lemon rind, lemon zest, chilli flakes and half the mint, then season and take off the heat.
Toast the sourdough. Meanwhile, stir salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil into the ricotta, so it’s spoonable; if it seems a little firm, loosen with a splash more olive oil or warm water.
Spread each slice of toast thickly with the ricotta, spoon the warm courgettes on top and finish with torn mint and more olive oil.
