This is the first of my week of celebrations posts! It is my birthday on Wednesday of this week and it will mark the beginning of my last year as a fifty something year old! (I know! Boo Hoo, how did that happen? I still feel sixteen inside. It's that first look in the mirror in the morning that's the kicker!)
Anyways, I reckon when someone is turning 59, they deserve to have a week where they celebrate all that they love about food and so that is just what I am going to do! Watch out Todd. You are in for some pasta and some chocolate for sure, but today . . . just a delicious veggie dish.
I love, Love, LOVE gratins and bakes! I love, Love, LOVE courgettes (zucchini)!! I just adore TOMATOES!!! I absolutely an enamoured with CHEESE!!! Oh and bread . . . put all of those together and I am in heavenly bliss! (ˆ◡ˆ)
This is such a simple dish too. You simply cut the courgettes into thin coins. I used both yellow and green courgettes, a gift from a friend. You brown them off in a bit of garlic oil until semi softened, layer them in a buttered dish with some sliced tomato and then top with cheese and buttered crumbs.
The frying off of the courgettes helps to get rid of a bit of their moisture so that the dish isn't soggy . . . then put together with those tomatoes and baked, they kind of meld their flavours together . . . the cheese melting down into them . . . the crumbs getting a buttery crunchy on top.
Quite simply delicious and one of my favorite Summer Celebration dishes! This may not be for everyone . . . but it is certainly for me. A nice hunk of buttered french bread and I am one very happy camper.
*Courgette Tomato Bake*
Serves 4 to 6Printable Recipe
Courgettes are also known as Zucchini in North America. This is a delicious and simple way to prepare them when you are having a glut in the garden!
60ml of olive oil (1/4 cup)1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed, but left whole pretty much4 medium courgettes, trimmed and sliced 1/4 inch thick(I like to use half green and half yellow if I can get them)1/2 tsp dried oregano1/2 tsp dried basilsalt and black pepper to taste4 medium tomatoes (peeled or not as you wish) sliced into thick slices60g of grated strong cheddar cheese (1/2 cup)90g of grated Parmesan cheese (1/2 cup)60g of bread crumbs (1/2 cup)
2 TBS butter, melted
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic. Cook over medium heat just til the garlic starts to brown and become very fragrant. Remove and discard the garlic.
Add the courgettes. Cook, stirring and tossing, until the courgettes are wilted. Remove from the heat. Season with the oregano, basil, salt and pepper to taste.
Butter a large shallow baking dish. Layer the cooked courgettes with the sliced tomatoes in the dish. Mix the cheeses and sprinkle it over top, mixing it in a bit. Mix together the bread crumbs and butter. Sprinkle over top.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the crumbs are golden brown. Serve hot.
Note: This is a most delicious way to get rid of that courgette (zucchini) and tomato glut in the garden when they all seem to come at once!
