Ingredients:-

• 450g/1lb courgettes
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 2 cloves garlic
• 200ml/7 floz olive oil
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves

Method:-

• Use a mandolin to finely slice the courgettes lengthwise into long ribbons and place them in a bowl with the 3 tbsp of olive oil.
• Swish them around in the oil to coat them and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat a griddle pan and toast the courgette ribbons for approximately 2 minutes each side.
• Have the lemon juice ready in a bowl and toss the cooked courgette ribbons in the juice.
• Set them aside to cool.
• Finely slice the garlic and layer this in a sterilised jar along with the courgettes ribbons and the thyme leaves.
• Top up the jar with olive oil.
• Using a skewer prod around the jar to release any air bubbles and tap it on the table top too.
• Make sure the courgettes are completely covered in the oil and pop on a lid.
• Use within one month and store in the fridge.

INTRODUCTION

I know the word fritter conjures up a complex world of deep-frying and dense-eating, but these are light, simple babies - just grated courgettes, mixed with feta, herbs and spring onions, stirred up with flour and eggs and dolloped into a frying pan to make little vegetable pancakes which, unlike most fried food, are best eaten not straight out of the pan, but left to cool to room temperature. This takes any slaving over a hot stove element out of the equation: you just spoon serenely away over your pan before anyone's around.

Ingredients:-

Makes about 6 fritters

• 1 courgette
• 2 spring onions (finely chopped)
• 60 grams feta cheese
• 1 small bunch fresh parsley (chopped)
• 1 small bunch fresh mint (chopped (plus extra to sprinkle over at the end))
• 1 teaspoon dried mint
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 40 grams plain flour
• salt
• pepper
• 1 large eggs (beaten)
• olive oil (for frying)
• 1 lime

Method:-

• Coarsely grate the courgettes with either the grating blade in the processor or by hand.
• Spread the little shards out on a tea towel and leave for about 20 minutes to get rid of any excess wetness.
• Put the chopped spring onions in a bowl and crumble in the feta.
• Stir in the chopped parsley and mint, along with the dried mint and paprika.
• Add the flour and season well with salt and pepper.
• Gradually add the beaten egg and mix thoroughly before stirring in the drained, grated courgettes. Don't be alarmed by the unflowing straggly lumpiness of this batter; it's meant to be this way.
• Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan and drop heaped dessertspoons of the mixture into the hot oil, flattening the little cakes down with the back of the spoon as you go.
• Cook these little patties for about 2 minutes each side until golden, and then transfer to a couple of waiting plates.
• Chop up the limes and tumble them about the edges of the plates.
• Sprinkle over a little more chopped mint and eat them just as they are, spritzed with lime juice as you go.

Ingredients:-

• 500g puff pastry
• 1 medium egg, beaten
• 200g full-fat soft cheese
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 4 tbsp parmesan, freshly grated
• 60g frozen petits pois
• 2 courgettes, trimmed and peeled into ribbons
• 6 spring onions, roughly sliced at an angle
• Mozzarella cheese, grated or finely chopped
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method:-

• Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 6.
• Roll out the pastry into a large rectangle ½cm thick. Cut to a 30cm x 21cm rectangle and use a knife to mark out a border about 2½cm from the edge.
• Using a sharp knife, mark a lattice pattern on the borders, then brush with the egg. Place on a baking tray in the fridge.
• Meanwhile, lightly mix together the soft cheese, lemon juice and 2 tbsp parmesan in a bowl.
• Season with plenty of freshly ground black pepper, then spread over the pastry.
• Press the peas into the tart and pile on the courgette ribbons.
• Scatter the spring onions and the grated mozzarella over the top.
• Brush with the oil, then bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and risen. Serve warm or cold.

Method:-

• Beat the sugar, nectar and butter until the usual creamed stage for any sponge cake is achieved.
• Slowly add the egg a little at a time, then add the courgettes and cumin powder. Finally add the flour and mix until just combined nicely.
• Place in a greased 20cm baking tin and bake for around 35 mins at 160°C, use the usual cake testing methods.
• Leave to cool on a wire rack.
• To make the candied courgettes, mix all ingredients together in a bowl and wait for 15 minutes, drain off the majority of the liquid then place on a non stick backing sheet and leave in a low oven to dry out.
• To serve, cut halfway though the cake and whip some double cream.
• Pipe the cream into the cake and save a little for decoration. Pipe little dots of cream onto the cake top and garnish these with the candied courgette.
• Finally, dust the whole thing with a little icing sugar mixed with a small amount of ground cumin.