Stuffed courgette flowers
This vegan summer recipe makes the most of courgette flowers. They can be stuffed with a range of ingredients before being steamed, baked or fried.
Ingredients
For the stuffed courgette flowers
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 courgette, cut into 1cm/½in cubes
- 1 thyme sprig, leaves picked
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú tomato chutney
- 4 courgette flowers, with small courgettes attached
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 25g/1oz basil, leaves picked, to garnish
For the smoky red peppers
- 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- pinch smoked paprika
- 3 red peppers, skins removed and thinly sliced
- 10²µ/¼´Ç³ú black olives
- 10²µ/¼´Ç³ú capers
- 50ml/2fl oz vegetable stock
Method
For the courgette flowers, heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the courgette and thyme, season with salt and pepper and cook until just softened and all the liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat and add the tomato chutney to bind the mixture together — only add enough to bind, the mixture must not be too wet. Set aside to cool.
Carefully open the courgette flowers without breaking them or snapping them off the courgette. Remove the stamens of the flowers and check the insides are completely clean. Stuff the flowers with the courgette mixture and close over the tops of the flowers to enclose the mixture. Carefully wrap each flower in cling film to protect it from moisture during cooking.
Place the courgette flowers in a steamer and cook for 5–6 minutes, or until the courgette is cooked through. Be careful when removing the flowers from the steamer as the cling film will be very hot.
For the smoky red peppers, heat the oil in a saucepan and cook the onion for 5–8 minutes, or until softened. Add the smoked paprika, peppers, black olives and capers, season with salt and pepper and stir. Pour in the stock and cook for a few minutes.
Spoon the smoky red pepper mixture onto four warmed plates and place the courgette flowers on top. Garnish with the basil and serve.
