How to cook courgettes

Ingredients1 courgette1 red pepper1 red onion1 can chopped tomatoes3 cloves garlic, finely chopped3 tbsp olive oil1 teaspoon dried basilsalt and pepperMethodPreheat the oven to 200 degrees. Chop the courgette, red pepper and red onion into 2 cm chunks. Place on a baking tray and combine with 2 tbsp of the olive oil, the dried basil and some salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes.While the veg is roasting, heat the remaining oil in a large saucepan. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and fry for a couple of minutes until the garlic is fragrant. Add the chopped tomatoes and stir. Fill the empty can 1/3 with water to swill out any tomato left in the can. Simmer the sauce away for 15 minutes until the veg is cooked.Add the veg and simmer for 5 more minutes, then season to taste.Serve hot with lentils, potatoes, or crusty bread and butter.

Ingredients85g spaghetti1/2 a can of chopped tomatoes (I've used a few fresh because I had some to use up, but I usually just use canned)1/3 of a courgette2 cloves of garlic1 teaspoon paprika1/2 a teaspoon sugar1/2 a teaspoon saltblack pepperfresh parsleyoptional: more black pepper and extra virgin olive oilMethodPut a small saucepan on a medium heat with some salted water in and leave to boil. Meanwhile, finely slice the garlic and add to a frying pan with a little olive oil and fry until pale yellow, then finely slice the courgette and add to the pan, frying for a few more minutes, making sure the garlic doesn't catch.Add the tomatoes to the pan and turn down the heat. I also like to add some tomato puree at this point, but don't worry if you don't have any it's not essential. Once the water is bubbling gently, add your spaghetti to the pan and cook according to packet instructions. Turn down the heat a little and add the salt, sugar, paprika and black pepper then simmer for 10 minutes or until the sauce has reduced a little. If the sauce reduces too much then add a splash of water to thin it.Once the pasta is cooked add it to the sauce pan using some tongs and mix it into the sauce. Chop some of the fresh parsley and add to the pasta. Pile onto a plate and garnish with more parsley, black pepper and olive oil. So simple and so delicious, perfect comfort food. Enjoy!

Ingredients1 courgette, grated1 shallot, finely choppedjuice of 1 lemona few leaves of fresh basil2 cloves of garlic, finely choppedsalt and pepper1 tbsp olive oil85g tagliatelleMethodHeat the olive oil on a medium heat in a frying pan. Add the shallot and garlic, cook for 5 minutes, not letting them brown too much. Add the courgette stir for a couple of minutes, then add the lemon juice and basil.The courgette only takes a few minutes to cook, so once the juice has been soaked up by the veg, remove the pan from the heat. Cook the pasta according to packet instructions and add to the pan of courgette, use tongs to toss the pasta and season to taste.Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and garnish with fresh basil and black pepper.

Ingredients1 courgette1 tin of chickpeas (400g)1 tbsp harissa paste1 tsp all spicezest of 1 lemon2 tbsp of plain floura small bunch of coriandersalt and pepperolive oilMethodGrate the courgette into a bowl, then add the chickpeas, flour, harissa, allspice, coriander, lemon zest and salt and pepper.Tip into a food processor or use a stick blender to pulse until you have a paste that you can form into balls.Using wet hands (this stops the mixture sticking) shape the mixture into 10-12 balls.Then, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan and once hot add the falafels, frying six at a time. Fry on one side until golden (usually just a few minutes) then turn on to the other side and fry for another few minutes. Then, give the pan a shake to catch the other sides of the falafels for another few minutes. Serve hot or cold with salad, or in a wrap with hummus.

Ingredients200g jersey royal potatoes100g cherry tomatoes, halved1/2 a red pepper, sliced1/2 a yellow pepper, sliceda handful of fresh parsley (around 7g)a handful of fresh basil (around 7g)a few mint leavesjuice of 1 lime1 fresh red chilli, deseeded1 clove of garlic15g walnuts100ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for cookingsalt and pepperMethodFirst, preheat the oven to 180 degrees and set out a baking tray for your vegetables. Wash the potatoes and remove any earthy bits then slice in half and spread on the tray. Drizzle over a little tiny bit of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Roast for 15 minutes then add the cherry tomatoes and peppers, toss in the oil on the tray and add a little more salt, roast for another 15 minutes until the tomatoes are a little caramelised, the potatoes are soft all the way through and the peppers are starting to wilt, but still have a little bite.While the veg is cooking, you can prepare the pesto dressing. I've been lucky enough to be given our brilliant old food processor from home (greatly missed by my mum) so I use this to make the pesto and it's really effective. However, you can use a pestle and mortar if you're prepared to put in a little elbow grease, or use a stick blender or an ordinary smoothie making type blender to make the pesto too. Just be sure to wash it out really thoroughly, nobody wants an oily smoothie! Add the herbs, garlic clove, chilli, olive oil, lime juice and walnuts to your processor/blender and blend away until all the ingredients are chopped very finely and the mixture starts to resemble a pesto-ey texture. Add salt and pepper to taste.Take the veg out of the oven and spoon into a large mixing bowl. Add about half of the pesto dressing, I like to use the other half with pasta, on green salads and on pizza! Mix together in the bowl, making sure all the veg is coated, and serve. I like to squeeze over some fresh lime and sprinkle over a few fresh chopped herbs too. Let me know what you think about this recipe, and enjoy!

Ingredients1/2 a courgettecheddar cheesefeta cheese1 clove of garlic1 tsp chilli flakes1 tsp cumin1 tsp smoked paprika1 spring onionsalt and pepperoptional: yoghurt and fresh corianderMethodGrate the courgette into a bowl and add as much grated cheddar and crumbled feta as you like. I recommend going roughly equal to the amount of courgette. Then add the spices, crush the garlic and slice the spring onion and add to the bowl with some salt and pepper.Heat a frying pan on a medium heat, then place your tortilla wrap into the pan. Add the filling on top and spread out into an even layer. Then place another tortilla wrap on top.Use a saucepan lid to press down on the top of the wraps and fry until the bottom is crisp (around 3-4 minutes). Then, flip the quesadilla onto a plate and then back into the pan on the other side. Fry for another 3-4 minutes with the lid on the pan so the cheese melts.Then, tip out onto a plate and cut into quarters. Serve with yoghurt, coriander and lime wedges if you have them.

Ingredients1 courgette1 tin of butter beans (400g)1 clove of garlica handful of fresh basilthe juice of half a lemonextra virgin olive oilsalt and pepperMethodPreheat your oven to 180 degrees. Slice your courgette into 1 cm discs and put in a roasting tray, cover with 1 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes.Drain and rinse the butter beans and add to a bowl with the courgette. Tear up the basil and add, along with the lemon juice, a drizzle of oil and the crushed garlic clove. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot or cold.

Ingredients1 courgette1 large egg3 tbsp plain flour1/2 a tsp baking powder1 tsp curry powdersalt and pepperolive oilMethodGrate your courgette into a bowl and set aside. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, egg and curry powder with the salt and pepper to create a batter. Then add the courgette and mix thoroughly.Heat a frying pan with 1 tbsp of oil, then when the oil is piping hot, add the mixture 1 tbsp at a time. There should be 6-8 fritters in total.Fry for a few minutes on each side until golden brown, then transfer to a piece of kitchen paper to soak up any excess oil. Serve with mango chutney or raita.

Ingredients2 courgettes (approx. 300g)1 spring onion3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil2 tsp white wine vinegar1/2 a tsp mustardjuice of 1 lemonsalt and pepperMethodUsing a peeler, peel long strips of courgette into a bowl until you've whittled away the whole vegetable. I find it easier to turn the courgette as you peel so you don't end up with one long raggedy piece at the end. Finely slice the spring onion and add to the bowl. Then, in a small jug or bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, mustard, lemon juice and a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.Toss with the courgette and spring onion and serve.