We have used some fancy yellow courgettes for this dish but the usual green variety will be just as good. An excellent side dish for barbecues… of which we are having many at the moment. If you don’t want to light the barbecue you can also griddle the courgettes with good results.
Griddled courgettes with Parmesan & basil – serves 4 as a side dish
- 5 medium courgettes
- 2 tbsp salt flakes
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ lemon
- 25g pine nuts
- 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
- 25g Parmesan, finely grated
- a handful of basil leaves, roughly torn
- a few mint leaves, roughly torn
Preheat the barbecue (or griddle pan). Cut the ends of the courgettes and cut a long thin slice off two opposite sides and discard. Cut each courgette into 4 long strips. Mix the courgettes with the salt and place in a colander to drain with some plates on top. Let them drip over the sink or a bowl or an hour or so.
Shake off any excess salt from the slices, then rub each side with a little olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice and season with freshly ground black pepper.
Cook the courgettes on the barbecue/griddle for about 5 minutes per side or until softened and well charred. Transfer to a serving dish and squeeze over a little more lemon juice.
Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan for a couple of minutes or until golden.
Scatter the pine nuts, parmesan, basil & mint over the courgettes. Trickle over the rest of the olive oil and serve warm.
(Original recipe from by Valentine Warner in BBC Olive Magazine, July 2009.)
Jono & Jules do food & wine 
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