Welcome back to The Veg Table, my brand new newsletter here on Substack. This is the place to be if you want to take the vegetables on your table to the next level.
For our fourth edition, we turn our attention to one of the best summer veggies. Courgettes (zucchini) are bang in season, so we should absolutely be eating HEAPS of the stuff whilst they taste as their juicy best.
Today, I’ll run you through some of my favourite ways to enjoy them - skewered, griddled in a salad, and charred to be turned into a dip! We’ll also be running through what’s been going on behind the curtain at Alfie Cooks…
So, grab yourself some courgettes, and let’s get into it - happy cooking!
Alfie x
JULY GREETINGS…
And just like that, we’re over a week into July. I mean HONESTLY, where does the time go… ANYWAY, welcome back to The Veg Table. How are you doing? I hope you’re well. The sun has been shining in North London, so I hope wherever you’re reading from in the world, the weather is treating you well. It’s been a couple of weeks since I sat down at the table to write for you guys. To tell you the truth, balancing the intensity of life and work has been a bit of a tall order of late. But, with renovations at our new flat almost complete, I’m slowly managing to return to somewhat of a balanced day to day routine, which is something I am very grateful for - and that means sticking to weekly newsletters!
In any case, I’ll share some more details on what’s being going on behind the scenes later on. I am going to keep today’s newsletter slightly snappier and to the point, as I feel like this is perhaps more suited to your reading interests - we’re all busy people! But for now, sit back, grab yourself a drink of some description (a good coffee if you’re reading in the morning, or perhaps an ice cold beer if you’re treating yourself in the evening), and let’s dive into one of the finest vegetables UK summertime has to offer. And before you ask, no, the photo above was not taken in London. I dug it out from last summer’s archives, but thought it would be fitting given the focus of today’s newsletter - COURGETTES (or zucchini, for many of you).
WELCOME TO COURGETTE SEASON
Starting in June, and running all the way through to October, courgettes are growing EVERYWHERE in the UK (and beyond). I took a trip to Italy last summer, and you wherever you go, you’re treated to the wonderful bounty of these beautiful veggies, plucked straight from the soil. A dream of mine to is to start a small vegetable patch in my own garden, and planting these summer squash will be near the top of my list. From what I can gather, they are a very abundant crop, and if tended to correctly can yield an incredible amount of delicious produce. At the time of writing (start of July), we are at the peak of the season. So, I encourage you to be enjoying yourselves as many courgettes as you can throughout the summer, as they will taste at their flavoursome best.
What I love most about courgettes is that they are so incredibly versatile. One might be forgiven for thinking they are a rather standard ingredient, with limited options when preparing them. Well, that’s what we’re here for. To explore the variety of ways you can cook this summer squash. Whether it’s grilling on the bbq, skewering into kebabs, searing in the pan, oven-roasting, enjoying raw, blended into delicious dips or soups, the possibilities are endless when it comes to getting creative with courgettes.
There were SO many recipes I wanted to share with you today, in which courgettes are the star of the show. But I don’t want to overwhelm you with too much courgette craziness, so I’ve selected a couple of dishes I’ve been enjoying recently - and I know you’ll love them too. The recipe ideas involve a variety of preparation techniques, which each showcase the wonderful characteristics of courgettes. First, we’re peeling into ribbons, skewering, then searing in the pan to create courgette ‘kebabs’. Then, we’re griddling and serving in an absolutely delicious salad plate. And last but not least, I’ve got a very tasty dip idea for you too - OBVIOUSLY.
So, I hope you enjoy the recipes I’ve written for you below. Use them as a starting point to inspire your own cooking, depending on what you fancy and what ingredients you have in at home. As always, I’d love to hear if you give them a go - so let me know if you do in the comments below…
COURGETTE SKEWERS + BRAISED MISO BUTTER BEANS
I developed this recipe last summer, and it’s such a great one to enjoy when the weather’s warmer. We peel the courgettes into ribbons, skewer, sear and glaze in a zesty fresh, asian-style sauce. The end result is such a moorish concoction of flavours and textures. Charred on the outside, and oh so soft in the middle, the courgette ribbons quite literally melt in your mouth. Sat on my go-to braised miso butter beans, this is a very VERY tasty way to enjoy courgettes.
I’ll be uploading the recipe video on Instagram and TikTok later today, but below is where you’ll find my full written recipe - so enjoy!
INGREDIENTS (serves 2)
2 large courgettes
Bamboo skewers
1 tsp each: minced ginger, garlic, miso paste, soy sauce, sesame oil
1 lime, juice + zest
1 large shallot
2 large garlic cloves
1/2 red chilli
400g butter beans (jarred best, I use Bold Bean)
1 tsp miso paste
2 tsp boiling water
Extra virgin olive oil
METHOD
For the beans, finely dice the shallots + mince the garlic / chilli. Warm 1 tbsp olive oil on a medium high heat, then sauté shallots until softened. Add the garlic + chilli, then fry until fragrant. Add the beans to the pan with a splash of the liquor. Allow to simmer for 5-10 mins.
Meanwhile, peel as much of the courgettes as possible into ribbons. Save any leftover for another recipe.
Skewer the ribbons onto the sticks (with a tight fit).
For the courgette glaze, mix the minced ginger, garlic, 1 tsp miso, soy sauce, sesame oil + lime juice in a bowl. Season to taste.
To finish the beans, dissolve 1 tsp miso paste in 2 tbsp boiling water, then add to the beans.
For the skewers, warm 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan on medium high. Carefully place into the oil, leaving to brown for 2-3 minutes on each side before turning. Pour the glaze over the skewers, allowing to caramelise.
To serve, warm the beans + spoon onto a plate. Place the courgette skewers on top, then garnish with fresh basil + red chilli. Serve with a refreshing green salad + some bread if you like - enjoy!
GRIDDLED COURGETTE SALAD
If you fancy a courgette recipe that’s slightly lighter, speedier, but tastes just as good, this salady platter is an absolute winner, there’s not much more to be said about it. Griddling the courgettes helps achieve that lovely smoky flavour, whilst retaining the vegetable’s juicy bite too. And griddled veg always just looks absolutely beautiful. Pair that with dollops of creamy cheese, handfuls of freshly torn basil and a chilli-garlic vinaigrette, and you’ve got yourself a serious plate of flavour, colour, and texture. Exactly what summer cooking and eating is all about.
INGREDIENTS (serves 2-3)
2 courgettes
1 garlic clove
1/2 red chilli
1/2 shallot
1 lemon (juice + zest)
15g fresh mint
15g fresh basil
4 tbsp stracciatella / mozzarella (I used Julienne Bruno Superstraccia)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
METHOD
To make the dressing, mince the garlic, then combine with finely diced chilli + shallot. Add chopped pint, the zest + juice of a lemon, salt, pepper, then slowly stream in olive oil by whisking until a creamy vinaigrette forms (around 50ml).
Slice your courgettes into rounds, season with salt, pepper + olive oil. Heat up a griddle pan until smoking, then sear the courgettes on each side until griddled (2-3 mins).
To serve, place the courgettes onto a plate, then top with basil leaves, dollops of stracciatella, then lashes of dressing - enjoy!
DIP OF THE WEEK - COURGETTE BABA GANOUSH
On Take a Dip this week, we made everyone’s favourite dip - Baba Ganoush. But, in keeping with the theme of today’s newsletter, we subbed out aubergines, and used seasonal courgettes instead. It actually worked incredibly well, creating a slightly lighter, zestier, and fresher dip that also retained all those smoky, creamy, and indulgent notes we all know and love with the traditional aubergine version.
So as to not overwhelm you with too many recipes in one go, the recipe for this delicious dip can be found over on my socials (Instagram + TikTok). I would HIGHLY recommend giving it a go at some point this summer. And, if you can, cook your courgettes on the bbq or grill to get that wonderful smoky, charred flavour too.
A ROUND UP OF LIFE LATELY
WE HAVE A SHOWER! As much as I enjoyed showering at the local gym, it definitely does feel a lot more like home now that we’ve got a fully functioning bathroom. I’ve also been able to start cooking and recipe testing in the new kitchen, which is a big relief too. I’m still getting used to the new space, and we’re still waiting on final touches from decorators, joiners, tilers, and a final visit from our lovely builder too. BUT, our new space is almost there, and I can’t wait to give you the full run through (I know I’ve been saying that for weeks, but renovations are no joke haha! Always take longer to finish than you think - but it will all be worth it very soon).
With the works almost being done, it meant that we were able to have our nearest and dearest over to celebrate Angelica’s 26th birthday, which was such a special evening. Having our best friends over to see our new home, and sharing all the work we’ve been doing behind the scenes really was just lovely. Oh, and we also got matching tattoos to celebrate 7 years together, which we are very pleased with.
Right, it’s 30 degrees outside, I’m hungry and I’ve got some recipe testing to do. I hope you enjoyed reading today’s newsletter and the courgette recipes I’ve written for you. As always, let me know if you give them a go in the comments below. Have yourselves a wonderful weekend, and I’ll speak to you soon.
Alfie x
I make Tucci’s courgette spaghetti
That’s beautiful! When in nyc www.https://snowtattoo.com we got you! Best in fine lines