Tomato, courgette and sweet potato soup

Fresh, healthy homemade soup. What's not to like.....

I have probably said before that I am not a great fan of ready made soups and particularly those that come in packets and cans both for health and economy reasons, I tend to make most of the soup we eat from fresh vegetables and this recipe is no exception. Finding myself in the situation were I had a couple of courgettes and some tomatoes that were ageing fast, I thought I would combine them with butternut squash or sweet potato to make a wholesome soup, yet still summery.

A tasty easy recipe which would be a great way later in the season to use up glut tomatoes and courgettes if you have them, it looks like the recipe would freeze well but I haven't tried it.

What you need 

• A little vegetable oil
• Fresh or tinned tomatoes (don't worry about skins and pips as we are blending later)
• Onion
• Courgettes - topped tailed and sliced into half moons
• Butternut squash or sweet potato - peeled, de-seeded(if squash) and chopped into small chunks
• Vegetable stock
• Salt and pepper

What you do 

• Firstly prepare your vegetables
• Gently fry in the oil the onion until softened but not coloured
• Then add the courgette and butter nut / sweet potato to the pan
• Again cook until starting to softened
• Now add the tomatoes and stock to the pan
• Simmer until all the vegetables are soft
• Allow to cool slightly then blitz with a stick blender or in a liquidiser to desired consistency
• Bring back to a simmer and then taste and season
• Serve piping hot with crusty bread

We are linking up to Recipe of the Week over on A Mummy Too

                                                              

Meat Free Mondays over on Tinned Tomatoes

                                                       

Extra Veg hosted in turn by Fuss Free Flavours and Utterly Scrummy
                                                 
                                                     

No croutons required hosted this month at Lisa's Kitchen

                                                               

Rustic courgette bake

This weekend we have finally pulled up the last courgette plant of the season, as part of the tidy up a couple of large courgettes were discovered in the undergrowth. So this recipe makes the best of the last of this seasonal bounty, with its roots fairly in the Mediterranean this dish gives a heavy nod towards Lancashire too as its features lots of local produce.

I love dishes like this where everything is placed in one pot and the oven does all the work, if you haven't got some homemade tomato sauce to hand then a jar of quality passata works great. I also raided the herb garden for my herbs, selecting sage, rosemary and thyme and a little oregano to be added to the dish.

What you need

• Couple of courgettes, washed and sliced length ways into strips
• 1 large red onion - peeled and sliced into finely fine halves (local grown)
• 1 jar passata or similar quantity of homemade tomato sauce (homemade)
• Selection of fresh herbs - rustically chopped (homegrown)
• Salt and pepper
• Local Cheddar cheese - coarsely grated (local)
• Yogurt - thick Greek style (local) about 200 ml
• 1 egg - free range (home laid)
• Large cast iron skillet / ovenproof dish
• Oil (olive or rapeseed)

What you do

• Preheat the oven to 200c (fan)/ 220c (non fan)
• Add a little oil to pan and gently saute to courgette strips and onions.
• Now layer up with tomato sauce on the base, courgettes and onions, herbs, and then repeat.
• Mix the yogurt and egg together, top of the dish and then finish with grated cheese
• Strew with more herbs
• Bake for 20 - 30 minutes until golden and bubbling and the courgettes are meltingly soft
• Serve with crusty bread for mopping up all the lovely juices

                         

We are linking up to Cooking With Herbs - who's theme this month is Scarborough Fair. This dish contains Sage, Rosemary and thyme, created by the lovely Karen over at Lavender and Lovage and hosted by her too this month.

                                                   

                                                                 

We are also linking up to Extra Veg hosted this month by A Mummy too

                                                      

And finally Simple and in Season created by Reb Behan and hosted this month by her too.

                                                            

Mediterranean vegetable and herb quiche - gluten free

I have been secretly working in the background perfecting a tasty gluten free pastry that is suitable for using as a quiche base. If you make pastry with just standard gluten free flour its rather tasteless and very crumby and grainy, I have made gluten free pastry using cheese to help bind it and create flour but was looking for something a little less cheesy (pardon the pun) so I thought I would experiment with mixing buckwheat flour with normal GF flour and voila it works, creating a more wholemeal style pastry which is tasty when used as a quiche base.

I decided to make a filling using the ubiquitus courgette, pimped by the addition of a little chopped sun dried tomato and some garden fresh herbs

Excellent hot or cold this quiche it makes a great family meal, also would be ideal in a lunch box with some salad.

What you need

• 100g plain gluten free flour
• 100g buckwheat flour (ensure gluten free - not all is)
• 125g salted butter - cold
• Few sprigs of fresh thyme - chopped finely
• 4 - 6 tbsp cold water
• Egg - beaten 
• A loose bottomed quiche tin - about 24cm across - Lightly brushed with oil

For the filling

• 3 small courgettes - topped and tailed and chopped into thin slices
• 2-3 shallots - peeled and finely chopped
• Chopped sun dried tomatoes
• Thyme, oregano and rosemary - chopped
• Olive oil
• 300ml creme fraiche
• 3 eggs
• Freshly ground Pepper
• 100g cheddar cheese - coarsely grated

What you do

• Pre heat the oven to 190c
• To make the pastry its easiest by food processor, add the flours, thyme and cold butter, blitz until its a rough breadcrumb texture.
• Add the cold water little by little with the processor running until the pstry just starts to ball
• Tip onto a lightly floured surface and form a ball
• Place in the fridge for about 30 minutes before rolling to  fit your quiche tin.
• Chill again for about 10 minutes or so before baking the case blind for about 15 minutes, remove your baking beads (rice works well)
• Brush with a little beaten egg and then bake again for 10 minutes, remove from oven.
• Now we will make the filling , fry off the shallots and courgettes until softened, add the chopped sun dried tomatoes and herbs to the pan, allow to cool slightly.
• Add the vegetables to the quiche base, place on a baking tray ready to fill with the egg mixture
• Mix the eggs and creme fraiche together and pour over the vegetables, top off the quiche with the grated cheese.
• Bake for 35 minutes or so until golden and just a little wobbly in the middle.
• Serve slightly cooled or cold

I'm linking up to Cooking with Herbs - the theme this month being mediterrean food, this post contains thyme, oregano and rosemary. Hosted this month over at Lavender and Lovage.

And also to Tea Time Treats which is sharing the same theme as Cooking with Herbs, hosted this month by The Hedgecombers.

Lastly to Simple and in Season hosted this month by Franglais Kitchen.

Courgette loaf - gluten free

I knew I couldn't get through another summer without creating a new courgette cake recipe. This one is gluten free and uses one of my favourite vegetables for baking with. I always have plenty of courgettes to experiment with from the garden.

Courgettes are great for gluten free baking as they add additional moisture to the bake, something that gluten free bakes often lack, this is due to most gluten free flours having a good quantity of rice flour in them which robs moisture from the mixture.

Makes 2 x  loaves

What you need

• Oil spray and loaf tin liners
• 380g gluten free flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp xanthum gum
• 1 tsp bicarb
• 2 tsp mixed spice
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 225g caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 240ml vegetable oil
• 2tsp vanilla paste
• 220g courgettes - finely grated
• 1tbsp Greek yogurt (optional)

What you do 

• Oil spray and line two loaf tins
• Pre heat the oven to 160c
• Grate the courgettes ( I use a food processor), don't squeeze the moisture out
• Mix along with all the other ingredients in a food processor or mixer
• Pour into your prepared tins
• Bake for 50 -55mins until well risen and golden, test with a skewer
• Cool in the tins initially and then on a cooling rack
• This freezes well when wrapped in foil
• Serve plain and or simply iced

As host of bake of the week this week I am linking to Bake of Week, created by Helen at Casa Costello 

                                                         

Ragbag pasta with roasted courgette, basil and mint

Well its that time of year again when our courgette plants are yielding a courgette a day and my quest is to find new and novel ways to serve this vegetable. This recipe came about as a way to use up the part bags of pasta that you often find lurking in the cupboard waiting for a little love, it works fine with gluten free pasta which I find remains al dente for longer than normal pasta.

I also spotted that this months cooking with herbs had the theme of basil, at its peak flavour wise at this time of year, I combined it with mint for a pesto flavour twist and lots of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. A delicious, frugal and tasty dish, rich in courgettes and herbs. This dish is healthy and fresh tasting and makes use of some great seasonal ingredients that just sing summer.

What you need

• Courgettes (Zucchini) - approx 3 medium sized cut into 2cm slice, cut in half
• Olive oil - good drizzle
• Fresh basil- 3 sprigs
• Fresh garden mint - 3 sprigs, leaves picked off
• Parmesan cheese - handful
• Cooked pasta (cooked to the instruction on the packet)
• Black pepper - freshly ground

What you do

• Toss the chopped courgettes with olive oil and place on an oven tray

• Roast in the oven at 180c for about 40 minutes or so until the courgettes are softened and tinged golden brown
• Whilst the courgettes are roasting, cook the pasta so that it ready when the courgettes are ready.

• Drain the pasta and toss with the roasted courgettes and oil , add the cheese and the herbs torn into small pieces

• Toss and then serve with freshly ground black pepper

I'm including this post in this months cooking with herbs, whose theme this month is basil. Created by Lavender and Lovage and hosted also this month by Karen too.

             
                                                         

I am also linking to Pasta Please created by Tinned Tomatoes and Hungry Healthy Happy, hosted this month by Hungry Healthy Happy, the theme is a pasta dish healthy or lightened.

                                          

And also to Eat Your Greens over on Allotment2Kitchen.

                                           

Lamb Chops with roasted garden vegetables

As you have most probably gathered I love local and seasonal produce,in fact its one of the main reasons I have a blog after all. So I was really pleased to spot a new blog challenge from Elizabeths Kitchen Diary  to become involved in, the "Shop Local" campaign is all about sharing the love of local producers. This dish couldn't be any more local, it uses Lamb chops sourced from the farm just up the lane from where I live marinated in a chutney from a great local producer FATJAX  and served with  roasted vegetables all sourced from our very own garden.

The dish is as easy of falling off a log and unlike most of the other methods for cooking lamb chops doesn't fill your kitchen with acrid fatty cooking fumes, everything is cooked in the oven so its an easy week day meal.

Whilst any North West England based readers will be able to get hold of Fatjax chutney at various outlets in the area, my local farmer doesn't sell to the public, but any good local lamb should work in this dish.

What you need

• Lamb chops - I used Barnsley chops
• Couple of tablespoons of Fatjax sweet onion and chilli chutney
• Selection of peeled and roughly chopped vegetables ( I used golden beetroot, courgette, patty pan, red onion and red pepper)
• A little olive or rapeseed oil
• Salt and pepper
• Thyme - sprig picked over

What you do

• Pre heat your oven to 180c
• Whilst your heats up rub the chutney and picked thyme into the lamb chops, put to one side
• Prepare your vegetables, toss in a little oil and season with salt and pepper and place in an oven proof dish ( I use my Pampered Chef stoneware dish)
• Place the vegetables in the oven for 10 minutes and then pop in your lamb chops to bake for 35 minutes or so
• When roasted until crispy and the vegetables caramelised serve to your hungry hoards.

Courgette and almond loaf with crunchy lemon topping

In an attempt to keep up with the courgette glut I am back to baking cakes with them, this blog already has about 6 recipes on it for courgette cakes, but I feel there is room for a few more. This one is going almondy with a cheeky crunchy lemon topping which really does make a difference to the finished cake.

Not the most pretty of cake I have made but it more than makes up for it in flavour and it keeps beautifully wrapped in foil.

What you need

• 200g ground almonds
• 240g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp bicarb
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• 350g caster sugar
• 225ml olive oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 2 tsp vanilla paste
• 300g grated courgette

For the topping

• Juice of one lemon
• 4tbsp granulated sugar
• 125g icing sugar

What you do 

• Preheat oven to 180c
• Line two 2lb loaf tins with baking parchment
• Whisk up the olive oil and the caster sugar, until lightened and slightly fluffy
• Add the eggs one by one to the oil and sugar mixture
• Now add all the other ingredients except the courgettes, mix well and then fold in the courgettes
• Pour into the loaf tins , level and bake in the oven for approximately for about 45 -50 minutes, until tested cooked with a skewer.
• Allow to cool initially in the tins
• Whilst the cakes are cooling, mix the lemon juice, granulated and icing sugar in a bowl and brush on the top of the cakes whilst still cooling, don't worry this will set to a crunchy glaze.

Based on a recipe from the Telegraph in 2012, the stunning photography is once again by Mr Lancashire Food.

Courgette and mushroom pasta

What to make with courgettes from the garden for this season ? something quick, light and easy. These small perfectly formed beauties are going to marry with some button mushrooms in a quick pasta sauce with some cream friache. I use creme fraiche a lot in my cooking as it lasts so well in the fridge and has a lovely sharp twang to it that cuts the richness beautifully in sauces.

The other great thing is it uses loads of courgettes too, so when you are fighting a losing battle against your glut its a great recipe to have in your arsenal.The addition of thyme to the recipe cuts the richness of the sauce and brings a lovely herby note to the dish.

What you need 

• Courgettes - thinly sliced
• Mushrooms - finely chopped
• Olive oil
• Creme fraiche
• Fresh thyme - chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Parmesan cheese - freshly grated
• Pasta - we used penne

What you do

• Put your pasta on to cook in boiling water
• Heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan and cook the courgettes gently until softened and they are slightly golden
• Add the sliced mushrooms to the pan and continue to cook until the mushroom are tender
• Add creme fraiche to the pan and if you want a looser sauce a little of the pasta cooking water, add the fresh picked thyme 
• Season with pepper
• Remove from heat and toss in the drained pasta
• Serve topped with freshly grated parmesan and more freshly ground pepper.

I am also entering this post in Lavender and Lovage's Cooking with Herbs Challenge 

                                      

Chocolate Courgette Loaf

BBC Radio Lancashire came to visit us yesterday for the Lunchtime Favourites programme and this is the cake I chose to feature when Maria Felix Vas was visiting, its a difficult task to select just 12 tracks that represent your life so far, I enjoyed the making the programme and the bake went do very well. 

I thought I'd refresh the post in honour of the visit, I hope you enjoy the bake!

This recipe was created in celebration of the annual courgette glut , I am revisiting my Prize winning Chocolate courgette loaf, as published in Green and Blacks - Chocolate Recipes - Unwrapped.

Its a really easy recipe if a little fragile when it first comes out of the oven. If you wish to guild the lily you can ice and fill if with jam or cream, it is quite rich already so I prefer it plain.

Ingredients

• 175g Dark chocolate ( at least 60% cocoa solids)
• 225g courgettes
• 200g Plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp bicarb of soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp vanilla paste (optional)
• 110g caster sugar
• 175ml sunflower oil
• 2 medium eggs

Method

Preheat oven to 180c / 350f/gas mark 4

Greased and lined 2lb loaf tin

Melt the chocolate, I use the microwave, but be careful don't overheat. Grate the courgettes in your bowl, sift the flour, baking powders and spices into the bowl, add the other ingredients and mix well, lastly add the slightly cooled chocolate. I use my food processor but a bowl is fine too. Pour into your prepared tin and bake for approx 50 mins, test with a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Leave in the tin to cool, before finishing the cooling process on a wire rack.

The loaf stores well in a tin and also freezes well.

I am also going to include this post in We should Cocoa this month hosted by Jibberjabber and created by Chocolate log blog, the theme is vegetables.

                                                       

Courgettesakka

Inspired by  the classic Greek dish Moussaka and also as a way to use up courgettes from the garden this recipe was born. Its a delicious easy family dish which is pimped by the addition of some delicious chutney I received to review from FATJAX chutneys, which delivers a fresher flavour layer to the base bolognaise sauce.

Ingredients

• Low fat ground minced steak
• Onion - finely chopped
• Garlic
• Mixed herbs
• Beef stock and /or wine
• Tinned tomatoes
• Tomato puree
• 1/2 jar of FATJAX Mediterrean vegetable chutney.
• Splash of balsamic vinegar
• Olive oil
• 2 large courgettes, sliced using a potato peeler
• Potatoes , sliced and parboiled
• Milk
• Butter
• Flour
• Parmesan cheese

Method

• Fry off the onion in a little oil , then the garlic, then add the minced steak and cook until coloured
• Now add the beef stock, wine, tomato puree, chutney, tomatoes and mixed herbs, Stir and add a splash of balsamic vinegar.
• Cook on a gentle simmer until the the mince is cooked and the vegetables softened
• Keep cooking until the suace is reduced and taste for seasoning
• Meanwhile make cooked off the courgette ribbons in a little oil in a seperate frying pan
• Once the courgette is softened, put the bolognaise sauce in the bottom of your chosen dish, top with the courgette ribbon and parboiled potato slices
• Now make a roux sauce, using the butter, flour and milk, season to taste
• Pour this on top of the potatoes
• Sprinkle the dish with grated Parmesan cheese
• Bake in a pre heated oven at 170c until golden and bubbling, about 30 minutes or so
• Delicious served with a dressed green salad.

Chicken, green bean and courgette salad

The harvest from the garden is starting to slow but we are still battling a couple of gluts, mainly green beans (well actually purple beans as they are Blue Lake) and courgettes ( both yellow and the more traditional green), we still also have a pretty good selection of salad leaves growing too. Inspired by a recipe in River Cottage "Vegetables" this is a versatile lunch dish which has the comforting warmth of the beans and courgettes to lift it on these cooler days, the addition of  cooked shredded chicken ups the protein content, but can easily be omitted if you require a vegetarian dish.

Ingredients

• Shredded cooked chicken
• Mixed salad leaves (spinach, rocket, lettuce leaves, maybe a little mint)
• Cucumber
• Courgettes - sliced 
• Green beans, cut into bit sized pieces
• Olive oil
• Lemon juice
• Honey
• Salt and Pepper

Method

• Arrange the salad and shredded chicken on a plate
• Cook the green beans until tender
• Mix the olive oil, lemon juice, honey and salt and pepper in a jar to make a dressing, taste 
• Fry the courgettes until softened and lightly coloured
• Add the beans and courgettes to the salad leaves and then drizzle with dressing
• Serve immediately