Courgette Bruschetta

the humble Courgette, member of the Cucurbita pepo species

 once the anonmous plastic bag of courgettes has been dropped off at your doorstep, you know summer is at its full tilt. for thoses of you who've grown courgettes, you'll already know its easy to end up with a few dozen to spare. no need to fret or feel like you should be baking zuchinni bread day and night. an simpler, tastier and handier option is courgette bruschetta. fry a couple cloves of garlic, maybe an onion, add all the sliced courgettes you want and saute in olive oil till soft, stir in some chilli flakes and pile high on toast. its really really tasty and whats even better is, you only need 4 ingredients. great for a crowd. some chopped mint pairs great with chilli too, feel free to experiement with herbs. im making this all the time right now.

Courgette Bruschetta on toasted rye bread

 

if you havent grown courgettes, they are one of the most plentiful plants to grow. almost a courgette a day during mid summer! i start mine in 6 inch pots indoors in may, and when the weather gets really warm here in west cork, around mid june i set them in their postion in the garden with a heap of manure or compost in the hole beaneath them. they love nutrients and will repay you for giving them the extra boost. i only grew 2 plants this year, from previous 'courgette overload experiences,' i've learned less is more with this green curcubit. just make sure they have plenty of water or rain. living where i do- i never have to worry about the later.

______________________________

Courgette Bruschetta
serves 4

courgettes dont really get a lot of jazz in the kitchen, but this recipe lets them take center stage. i like to think this is my famous delicious recipe, but the truth is its adapted from the river cottage cookbook. along with four other recipes for dealing with a glut of courgettes, ive adapted a portion of my life from the book, as well. so worth the read.

3 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 red onion, chopped small
6 medium courgettes, sliced thinly
olive oil
salt and pepper

optional: finely chopped herbs: mint, parsley, oregano, thyme....

• add chopped onion and garlic to a hot saute pan with a good glug of olive oil.
• fry for a few minutes till translucent, add chilli flakes, stir.
• throw in courgettes and a dash of salt and pepper, stir for around 10 minutes on a medium heat. its best to not let the courgettes brown, just to get soft and almost sticky in the juices they release, concentrating the flavours.
• when just right, add any herbs you'd like or leave as is, pile up on freshly toasted country bread.