Ah, summer...warm weather, long evenings, BBQs and an abundance of courgettes! If you're growing courgettes, or as you might call them zucchini or summer squash right now, you might be looking for new ways to enjoy the bountiful crop!
These are simply sliced, grilled and topped with a spicy chili soy and sesame dressing - all the incredible flavour absorbed into the charred slices fresh off the grill! Whether it's a BBQ or a griddle pan, this is such a simple and incredible way to enjoy courgettes.
I used a mix of green and yellow courgettes, but whatever you have will work perfectly - I find both colours taste pretty similar to one another. The yellow courgettes we have growing were actually a Christmas gift, part of a funky veg growing kit, that I didn't truthfully expect to get around to growing this year when I received it! If you follow me on Instagram you might have seen the incredible veg garden my parents have constructed, planted and grown this year and it's definitely given me a whole new appreciation for fruit and veg seasonality! It also means eating way more veg (if that was even possible!) and finding new exciting ways to enjoy things like courgettes.
It seems like everyone is growing courgettes currently, including many of my work colleagues which has led to many a discussion about courgettes and what to do with them; we were talking at the other day about the nutrition content of these abundant veg and whilst they're not the most nutrient-packed food ever, they do contain some important vitamins and minerals. Most prevalent is vitamin C - needed for the immune system and boosting iron absorption too. They also contain some vitamin B6, which is needed to form haemoglobin - the substance in red blood cells that transports oxygen around the body. Other notable nutrients include manganese, essential for bone health, riboflavin which supports the nervous system and potassium, essential for fluid balance. The male flowers of a courgette plant don't produce any courgettes, so you can pinch off a few of these and grill them up too - for an extra boost of vitamins A and C.
Grilled Courgettes & Chili Sesame Dressing | Serves: 4-6 | Time: 20 mins
You'll need
- Griddle pan/BBQ
- Tongs
- Chopping board
- Knife
- Measuring spoons
- Small mixing bowl
- Serving platter
Ingredients
- 4 medium-large courgettes
- 4-6 male courgette flowers (optional)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp white/rice wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds (I used a mix of white and black)
- 1 tsp agave syrup
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes
- 1/2 tsp chipotle chili flakes
- 1 small clove garlic, minced (optional)
- Handful fresh mint, chopped
Method
- Mix together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl, from the soy sauce down to the minced garlic.
- Then top and tail the courgettes and carefully slice lengthways about 1/2cm thick - don't worry if they're a little thinner or thicker than this as you can adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- Place the slices on a hot griddle pan or BBQ and cook for a few minutes until visible char lines appear, then flip over using tongs and cook the other side the same way. If using the flowers, pop these on the grill for a few minutes on each side.
- Once cooked, arrange your slices on a platter and drizzle the dressing over whilst still warm so plenty of flavour is absorbed. Then garnish with some fresh mint.
- Serve up as a side dish to your BBQ, or even as a weeknight meal with some fried rice and enjoy!
Cassidy xx
