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Courgette Gratin with Stuffed Tomatoes

I go mad when it's courgette, lemon and mint.



Sometimes I feel like I really  want to get back to the veg. I felt like celebrating the noble courgette so I fell back on an old favorite a creamy courgette and min gratin and in contrast a rich stuffed tomato and pepper. In kinder times I think I would have served this with a rocket salad to cut the richeness but there is a bit of luxury here.

The gratin
Courgette (Enough to fill you vessel, sliced into rounds as thin as you can be bothered to make them)
Lemon (About equal to the number of courgettes you're using.)
Parmesan (about 300 grams grated finely)
Mint (I used a sprinkle of dried mint per batch of courgettes, I would have preferred to use a fresh Chiffonade but i didn't have any fresh and dried worked out fine)
Quark (this is a kind of low fay yogurty soft cheese but i think any kind of cream cheese would work)
Milk (a splash)
Flour (a heaped tablespoon)
Breadcrumbs (enough to cover)
Oil (a small amount for frying the courgettes)

  1. Mix bout 200 grams of quark with a a splash or two of milk, two thirds of the parm, half the lemon zest  and two spoonfuls of flour, season the mixture.
  2. Fry off your courgette in batches, add in the mint and the rest of the lemon zest likewise in batches. 
  3. Layer your sauce and courgettes into a oven safe vessel. Bake in the oven at 180 degrees for thirty mins. 
  4. Mix your breadcrumbs with the remaining Parmesan and a lemon's worth of juice along with a splash of water. Top your gratin with the crumbs and bake again for another half hour. 

The Stuffed Tomatoes (or Peppers if you must)
Rice (3/4 of a cup)
Onion (finely chopped)
Garlic (Three cloves, grated)
Tomato puree (a good two tablespoons)
Paprika (a heavy shaking)
Chili (powder, to give it the heat that you want)
Vegetable stock (a cube probably, dissolved into 1 and a half cups of water) 
Fresh tomatoes (as big as you can find)
  1. Saute the onion until barely translucent. 
  2. Add the garlic and cook for a further 30 seconds.
  3. Add the tomato puree and spices and cook for a good five minutes. 
  4. Add the rice and stir until the rice is completely coated. 
  5. Add in the hot or boiling stock cover the pan and cook on low for about 11 minuets then turn of the heat and leave it alone until it's cooled (about 20 minuets)  
  6. Prepare the tomato by cutting off the tops a cutting around the more fibrous parts then hollowing them out with a spoon. 
  7. Stuff the rice into the tomatoes and cook in the oven foe about forty minuets or until there is some serious browning going on. (more than I have in the picture, I was in a rush)
serve with a peppery salad. 
 

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