A few days ago, on the Country Living {UK} Facebook page, I found a recipe for a simple Courgette and Tomato Bake. Two evenings ago I made it and it was quick, easy, and delicious.
Last night, I made an adapted version to accommodate what vegetables I had on hand. It is so delicious I just had to share it with you. Serves 1, so adjust accordingly.
In a heavy saucepan, warm a tablespoon of olive oil {or cooking oil of your choice} and slowly soften for 10~15 minutes without colouring:
1 thinly sliced small onion,
2" piece of leek,
1/4 green pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 small aubergine, 1 cm dice
1/2 courgette {zucchini} 1 cm dice
8 pods of Broad beans, podded
salt and pepper to taste
Add 1 crushed clove garlic and cook for a further minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Pour mixture into an oven proof dish with a tight fitting lid. I used a tagine. The lid isn't tight on a tagine, but the design means the juices do not evaporate. I think it is better than a tight fitting lid!
Arrange two large, sliced tomatoes over the top of the mixture, sprinkle lightly with Golden Caster sugar {optional, but tomatoes benefit greatly during cooking from the addition of a small amount of sugar} and bake at Gas Mark 5 for about 30 minutes, or until tomatoes are cooked and there is a lovely liquor in the base.
Remove the lid, strew with a chiffonade of fresh basil {preferably from the pot you have on the kitchen windowsill!} Sprinkle on 30 gr of grated cheese {I used vegetarian Parmesan~style cheese} Return to oven for 10~15 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and golden.
Serve immediately, with fresh, crusty bread to soak up all the delicious liquor. Eat a plate of this and you've had all of your five~a~day and a bit more on one sitting ~~~
Bon Appétit !
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| Part cooked and Layered Vegetables in Tagine base ready for the oven |
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| The Tagine ready for the oven |
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| Almost finished! Strewn with basil and sprinkled with cheese ready for finishing |
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| Finished dish ~~~ cool slightly before serving with crusty bread to mop up the liquor |
Of course, you can add other vegetables that you have to hand. Shelled fresh peas, or sliced green beans, French beans, sweetcorn niblets, baby beetroot, even a handful of baby spinach; right at the end of cooking ~~~ I love these sorts of recipes you can adjust to whatever is on hand, don't you?
Until next time~~~
Sincerely yours
Deborah
FOOTNOTE
A couple of people have asked me for my recipe for Courgette {Zucchini} Chutney. Here it is. I hope you enjoy eating it as much as I do!
Ingredients
6lbs courgettes/zucchini
2 1/2 tablespoons salt
2 lb tomatoes, peeled and chopped {I have used the equivalent of chopped canned tomatoes, well drained, in an emergency}
1 lb onions, chopped
2 lb sultanas
grated rind of 4 large orange
4 lb sugar
1 pint malt vinegar
1/2 oz ground cinnamon
Method
1. Chop courgettes/zucchini into rings and sprinkle with salt. Stand in a colander over a bowl, or in the sink, to allow the juice to drain off. Rinse well and dry.
2. Put all ingredients in a preserving pan and simmer over a low heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture has thickened. Chutney is ready to be bottled when a wooden spoon drawn across the surface to make a channel does not fill up with vinegar.
3. Pour into warm, sterilised jars and seal immediately.
Store for at least 1 month before eating. This is delicious with cheeses, game, and turkey. It makes a great addition to any gift hamper, and I often find the empty jars returned to me in the hopes of a refill!
