I've been having lots of fried courgettes with salad. I've fried them cut into circles, i've done lengthways slices. I've used oil, I've dry fried.
When my dehydrator arrived, I set about using it.
300g coarsely grated courgettes
100g self raising flour
The first load of courgettes that I attempted to dry, were actually a bit too thinly cu (I used the 2mm blade on the processor) . They ended up like chewy rice paper. I ate them all anyway.
The second load of courgettes were cut more thickly, I used the 4mm blade. These came out much better. I ate some, and put some in an airtight glass jar. Not kilner, what's the one with the rubber ring called? Slipped my mind for now. Anyway, despite being airtight, the quality of the courgettes deteriorated, and so I decided the next lot would be dried to a crisp.
I got distracted into drying some sage leaves, which took forever. Eventually the dehydrator was free, so I loaded up some sliced bananas, estimating that these would take 24 hours to dry to a crisp. The three nearly-over-ripe bananas only took up a tray, so I hand sliced some courgettes for another tray. And then, because I had some leftover, I put mushrooms on a third tray. To see what would happen, I left the mushrooms whole.
The mushrooms were dry after about 15 hours. The courgettes and bananas are still going.
So, I decided to make a courgette and lemon drizzle cake. 300g of courgette sounded like a lot, but was actually only one very large courgette. I found a recipe online. I read the feedback both good and bad, and I made some adaptations. I made the cake.
It was lovely.
Even DH, who doesn't eat vegetables, ate it and commented favourably. He's not known for saying things just to be polite, so I was very pleased. I've typed up the recipe including my alterations, and put it in my recipe folder.
Here's the recipe - I used a mixer, so it was very easy.
COURGETTE AND LEMON DRIZZLE CAKE wth CREAM CHEESE and LEMON FROSTING
INGREDIENTS
For the Cake
200g butter, at room temp
3 eggs
300g coarsely grated courgettes
(squeeze out as much water
as possible. I spread on a clean teatowel, roll up, squeeze hard)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
zest of 2 lemons
1 tsp poppy seed (optional)
1 tsp vanilla extract
100g self raising flour
100g plain wholemeal flour
1stp baking powder
1/4 tspn salt
For the Drizzle
25g Icing sugar
1 tblspn lemon juice
For the Frosting
60g Icing sugar
50g butter
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tbslpns lemon juice
250g Full Fat cream cheese (Philadelphia is perfect)
A few poppy seeds to decorate
Lemon zest to decorate
Preparation
Grease and line 2 x 7inch sandwich tins
Preheat oven to 180 degrees (160 Fan), Gas Mark 4
METHOD
Make the
Cakes:
1. Beat/ butter
and sugar together until smooth
2. Lightly beat
eggs, then add a bit at a time to the beaten butter/sugar mixture, beating in
between. Too much too quickly, will curdle
3. Add (squeezed)
courgettes, poppy seeds, lemon juice and lemon zest to mixture and beat in
4. Sift the
flours, baking powder and salt into the mixture, stir to incorporate.
5. Spoon mixture
into prepared cake tins. Level. Cook
until browned and a skewer comes out clean (min 25 mins, mine took 40
mins)
6. Remove from
oven and leave in tins for 15 mins.
Meanwhile,
make the drizzle
7. Mix the icing
sugar and lemon juice together.
8. Turn the
cakes out of the tins, prick all over with a cocktail stick or large skewer,
and spread the drizzle over.
9. Leave cakes
to cool completely
Make the
Frosting
1. Sift icing
sugar into a bowl, add butter, and cream well.
2. Add the lemon
zest and juice, and beat briefly
3. Add the soft
cheese and beat until combined and fluffy. Do not overbeat - if you do
the mixture will split and go runny
Sandwiching
the Cakes and Frosting
1. When the
cakes are cold, put one layer of cake on a serving plate. Spread with half (or
just under) of the frosting
2. Put the
second sandwich on, and spread the remainder of the frosting over the top.
3. Sprinkle a
few poppy seeds and/or lemon zest to decorate
What do you do with your courgettes?
