Ben Tish, chef and food writer, presents two courgette recipes that highlight the vegetable's versatility: courgette fritters with sheep's cheese, herbs, and brown-butter creme fraiche, and slow-cooked courgettes with preserved lemon and ricotta on toast. Courgettes, often underrated in the UK, can be used in raw salads, slow-cooked dishes, fried, or grilled, according to Tish.
Courgette Fritters with Cheese, Herbs, and Brown-Butter Creme Fraiche
This recipe serves four and requires about 600g of courgettes. After grating and salting the courgettes for 10 minutes, squeeze out excess liquid. Mix with 120g crumbly cow or sheep's cheese, two sliced spring onions, one grated garlic clove, lemon zest, and half a handful of mixed herbs (dill, mint, parsley). In a separate bowl, whisk two eggs, then beat in 120g plain flour and one teaspoon baking powder to form a thick batter. Fold into the courgette mixture.
For the dip, melt 60g butter in a pan over medium heat until nutty (about five minutes), stir in juice of half a lemon, cool, then whisk into 150g creme fraiche and season. Fry spoonfuls of batter in olive oil for two minutes per side until golden, working in batches. Keep warm in a low oven. Fry remaining herbs in hot oil, drain, and serve fritters scattered with fried herbs and the dip.
Slow-Cooked Courgettes, Preserved Lemon, and Ricotta on Toast
This recipe also serves four. In a large pan over medium-low heat, add olive oil and 850g thinly sliced courgettes with two crushed garlic cloves. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until jammy. Stir in one chopped preserved lemon rind (flesh discarded), lemon zest, a pinch of chilli flakes, and half a handful of mint. Season and remove from heat.
Toast four thick slices of sourdough. Season 150g ricotta with salt, pepper, and olive oil until spoonable. Spread ricotta on toast, top with warm courgettes, torn mint, and more olive oil. Tish notes that courgettes are versatile, used in everything from raw salads to cakes, and these recipes showcase their adaptability.
