The Canny Cook, lower your food bills and still eat well with food editor ELEANOR MAIDMENT: Courgette, pasta and parmesan soup
- It’s worth buying fresh stock for this heart-warming broth, which will keep you going through autumn. No macaroni? Any small pasta shape will do
I love eating courgettes at this time of year, but they can be tricky to cook. They’ve got a high water content, so when you want them to go golden and caramelised, they can just end up pale and mushy.
If you want to keep a bit of crunch, say for a salad (I like adding them to a tricolore with tomatoes, mozzarella and avocado), a short, scorching heat is best.
Slice them (lengthways or on an angle) about 0.3cm thick, brush with a little oil, then sear on a hot griddle pan or barbecue for roughly a minute on each side.
To get them nice and golden for pasta – or as a side dish – allow a good 10 minutes’ frying time.
Put a big glug of oil into a large frying pan and place over a medium-high heat.
Add the sliced or diced courgette (and maybe some sliced garlic) and fry, stirring or turning them regularly for 8-10 minutes.
I like to salt them about halfway through and take them off the heat when turning golden but still holding their shape.
It’s worth buying fresh stock for this heart-warming broth, which will keep you going through autumn. No macaroni? Any small pasta shape will do
If I have a glut then my favourite thing to make is sticky, caramelised courgettes. Coarsely grate them and add to a large saucepan with oil, butter, salt and crushed garlic.
Cook them over a medium-high heat for about 30-40 minutes, stirring regularly, until they collapse into a golden, jammy mess. This is divine piled onto toast with soft cheese, stirred through pasta or mixed into mashed potato.
Method
Set a large saucepan or sauté pan over a medium-high heat with 3 tbsp olive oil. Trim the courgettes and dice into 1cm-2cm cubes. Add to the pan with 3 finely sliced garlic cloves.
Fry for 10 minutes, stirring regularly and adding a good pinch of salt halfway through. When they’re golden but still holding their shape, scoop out the courgette and garlic mix and divide between 4 bowls.
Add the chicken stock and an extra 250ml water to the pan and bring to a simmer. Tip in the pasta and cook according to the pack instructions.
Add the juice of half a lemon and season to taste. Ladle the broth and pasta over the courgette mix in the bowls.
Scatter with parmesan and serve immediately.
- Do you have a great recipe for eating well and cutting food bills? Email [email protected]. If we print it here, we’ll send you a bottle of champagne
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