Jenny's Garden BlogHow does your garden grow?

I’m sure it’s not a surprise to see a courgette recipe on this blog! Personally, I could eat grilled courgettes with every dinner, I think they are gorgeous, but then that doesn’t use enough up, so soup is the obvious.

1 small onion
1 stick celery
courgettes (1 large or 2 medium or 4 normal) – cut into quarters length ways then into cubes
1/2 clove of garlic
a sprinkle of fresh or dried red chili
a sprinkle of dried italian herbs
veg or chicken stock
salt and pepper

Saute off the courgettes in a bit of olive oil until slightly tender. Remove from the pan and add the onions and celery. Cook until soft and sweet.
Add the garlic, chili, herbs and all but a handful of the courgettes (these will go into the soup after blending for texture). Stir then add the stock so only just covers the courgettes.
Simmer for 10 minutes.
Blitz in a liquidiser or with a hand blender and then add the remaining courgettes, add salt to pepper to taste and serve. A spinkle of chopped fresh parsley or basil would be nice.

It may sound a bit plain and boring but this really easy salad is great with lamb in any form or as part of a moroccan starter plater. More importantly, it’s another way to help use up a glut of carrots.

Into a bowl, grate 3 average sized carrots and finely slice 1 on the diagonal to give a different texture.

Add 1/2 tsp of ras el hanout (the Seasoned Pioneer one is the best – the pieces of rose petals show up in the carrot), salt, 1/2 tsp sugar and juice of half a lemon (this is to taste though and dependent on the size of the lemon so more may be required)