Thursday 19 January 2012

Courgettes in Basil & Chilli Dressing


I have loads of courgettes in the organic box and this is a great way to use them up.

8 courgettes
90ml olive oil
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 tbsp fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 red chillies, chopped

Slice the courgettes thinly lengthways. Say 5mm thick. Oil a griddle pan and cook until soft and with lovely stripes from the pan. Do it in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan.

Mix everything else. This will be the dressing. Combine, pour over the courgettes and let it rest for an hour. This is best at room temperature. You’ve a whole hour. It’s time to see what your guy’s up to – and more importantly, if he can be distracted.

Give the courgettes another good mix in the dressing and serve with warm flatbread. We’re lucky enough to be surrounded by Greek and Turkish shops. Something covered with sesame seeds (especially if you spot black sesame seeds) would be ideal.  A big spoonful of thick Turkish yoghurt on the side would really make this. I can’t think of any meal that wouldn’t be perked up with salad. With this, I’d go for Cos lettuce with tomatoes, cubed Feta cheese and oily Kalamata olives. (Just realised this would make a classic Greek salad – pure instinct!) Your boy will want to have salad if the ingredients are in tune with the main meal.

Amazingly he isn’t noticing that occasionally he’s having completely vegetarian meals. Under no circumstances should you discuss this with him, for he will entrench. You can’t blame him – this was never part of the deal. Just continue serving up things he will love and he won’t notice. Just feel some inner warmth when his Mum phones and he tells her what he had for dinner.

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