Hi ravenous readers! I have a summer harvest special filled by fresh produce! Enjoy.
This is a summer family favorite! I think I've mentioned this before but we have a close family friend who has had a thriving allotment for years. He often kindly gives us the surplus of his harvest which includes courgettes ranging from small to the humongous ones I have no choice but to stuff, make fritters and often grill as a side dish. We get shallots, beets, runner beans, carrots and some times plums for a good upside down cake or a jam! (Pictured below)
BEETROOT TIP: I foil wrap each one individually and bake in the oven on gas mark 6 for an hour. After that they slide out of their skin and smell sublime! I quarter them and serve them with a vinegarette of (Lemon, extra Virginia olive oil, coarse salt and fresh cracked black pepper, mint, parsley and rosemary.) I also crumble goats cheese over them. Forgot to take a picture before devouring last time, a case of getting hight off my own supply! I will do better next time!
Marrow vs Giant courgette
We've been racking our brains in my household to try and decipher between giant courgettes and marrows every time we recieve a harvest. Honestly we don't know but we know that courgettes can get as big as marrows but the difference lies in the thickness of their skin. A marrow has thicker skin. Marrows also almost always have white or yellow lines running up and down the their skin. So I'm sure we've been stuffing humongous courgettes for four years!
Here goes the recipe!
It's not a looker but a source of cheese melting porn and just mouthwatering gooeyness. I tried to encompass all the steps in one picstitch so here goes the recipes!
After hollowing out a marrow/ courgettes, bake in a preheated oven for 30-35 minutes and whilst it's cooking get to making the filling!!!
1) Make and sautée a mirepoix (with cabbage instead of celery)
Shred one large white onion
Three garlic bulbs and start sautéing on a low heat in three tablespoons of olive oil
On the side shred quarter of a cabbage and wo carrots and add to onions and garlic after 10 minutes of simmering.
2) On the side boil a cup of rice with a dash of salt and a bay leaf.
3) Add fresh chives and rosemary to the sautéing mirepoix
4) Add a cup of frozen quorn mince and a cup of peas to the sautéing mix
5) Add a cup of boiled rice and mix well
6) Mix 3 tablespoons each of single cream, plain Philadelphia cheese and chive flavoured Philly cheese into the filling.
By now the courgette should be done done so add the filling to each side and top with 2 cups of cheddar cheese, with fresh chives and rosemary.
Cover with loose foil and bake for a further 25 minutes and then a further 15-20 minutes without the foil or until golden.
This went down well with a mixed leaf salad and a chilled Riesling.
Same recipe through the years:
Three years ago
It was my second year of getting the courgettes I was just getting to grips with the recipe. I'd already established that there had to be melting gooey cheese involved at this point! This was also pre chef school thus the lack of refinement in the presentation! I just knew I loved cooking and could think on my feet in the kitchen!
Last summer
This one was more sinful with three cheeses, a bechamel sauce enriched with mustard and freshly made herby breadcrumbs to give some crunch to the cheese topping.
Happy cooking!
Love Kymmiisha
XO
