I think everyone here in the UK would agree with me when I say that this year we have had the worst summer ever. Again at the beginning of this past weekend, there were promised of a beautiful Indian Summer looming . . . and we actually kind of bought into it too . . . Saturday and Sunday were lovely . . . but then today, we are back to rain, wind, cold . . .
Combine that with the fact that I have had workmen in my house all day working on the bath renovation . . . power on, power off . . . the whole larder turned out so that they can access some wiring, etc. etc. the list goes on and on . . . end result being . . . tonight was a soup for supper night.
There is a definite chill in the air as well . . . and with the damp, soup for supper went down a real treat. Especially when it is as deliciously different and filling as this one. You get a deliciously creamy broccoli soup . . . topped with a scrummy yummy cheese crust . . . well, kind of like cheese on toast . . . baked on top of a delicious broccoli soup. There's no better way to describe it!
Todd hates broccoli . . . hmmm . . . perhaps hate is too strong a word . . . Todd hugely dislikes broccoli . . . and, with a passion. I do cook it though, from time to time, for I love it . . . and he does eat it, when I do prepare it. Let's just say, it's not his favourite thing . . . at all!
Mostly I try to disguise it in other things. Kind of like what you do to children when they take a dislike to something. Telling my kids that they were little green trees never worked . . . and it doesn't work with Todd either.
One thing the Toddster does love though is soup . . . creamy soups . . . not thin broth ones . . . soups with substance. If I can disguise broccoli as soup, then he's a very, very happy camper!
Just look at that crispy bread crust, slathered in oodles of scrummy cheddar cheese . . . and just beneath that crunchy rich surface . . . creamy rich broccoli, with more than a hint of cheese, enriched with cream.
Ohhh la la . . . c'est magnifique! Or should I call it scrummily moreish??? This is The English Kitchen after all!!
*Cheddar Crusted Broccoli Soup*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe
A well flavoured broccoli and cheese soup, topped with a rich and tasty Cheddar Cheese Crust!
1 large bunch of broccoli, about 1 1/4 pounds, wash and trim,
Chop into bits
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 large potato, peeled and chopped
3 TBS butter
5 cups well flavoured vegetable broth
2 TBS dijon mustard
1 cup double cream
salt and black pepper to taste
8 ounces of shredded strong cheddar cheese
(about 2 cups)
For the crust:
2 large crusty rolls
6 ounces of sharp cheddar cheese, grated
(about 1 1/2 cups)
Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion and potato. Cook, stirring occasionally over medium low heat, without colouring, until the onions are softened. Add the vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Simmer until the potatoes are soft. Add the chopped broccoli. Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for a further 4 to 5 minutes, until the broccoli is crispy tender and has not lost it's colour. Remove from the heat and puree, using a stick blender, or very carefully in a regular blender, until smooth.
Return the soup to the heat. Stir in the mustard, double cream and cheese. Cook and stir until the cheese melts. Taste and season with salt and black pepper as needed. Keep warm.
Heat the grill to high. Cut the ends off of each of your rolls and then cut the middles into two thick slices. Toast them on both sides under the grill.
Place four heavy soup bowls on an oven tray. You want bowls that will be safe under the grill. Ladle the hot soup into the bowls, dividing it equally amongst the four dishes. Float a slice of toasted bread on top of each, then sprinkle the grated cheddar cheese evenly over top, again dividing it equally amongst the four dishes.
Slide the tray with the filled soup bowls under the grill and grill until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Remove from the grill and serve immediately.
Note: Take care not to burn yourself on the bowls. Use a kitchen towel or pot holders.
Salads are one of my favourite things to eat. It has ever been so. They are one thing, however . . . that are very poorly done in most eating establishments here in the UK.
I can't speak for the really high class restaurants . . . because I can't really afford to eat in them . . . but the types of places that "Joe Public" the ordinary working bloke can afford to eat in . . . well . . . they just don't do salad well.
I am sure there are a few exceptions, but I've just never found them. Most restaurant salads over here consist of a few tired looking boring lettuce leaves, a slice of cucumber, (if you're lucky two), and a few wedges of rather anaemic looking tomato, usually unripened and normally grossly lacking in colour and flavour . . .
It's a shame really because Salad is such an easy thing to do and really doesn't require a lot of time or skill. Salads need never be boring, or tasteless.
You can make a delicious salad out of just about anything and it will be fantastic, as long as you keep a few things in mind.
One, use only the freshest ingredients possible. Nobody wants tired, limp lettuce that's been sitting in the bottom of your crisper for ages . . . we want crisp lettuces, and not just iceberg.
Iceberg is nice, but there is such a huge and delicious variety of different lettuces available today . . . and they're not all that expensive either. Break out of your comfort zone and choose something colourful, or even dark green.
I, myself . . . am a great fan of baby Gem lettuces. They have oodles of flavour and scads of personality, and they come in both brilliantly green and ruby colours. . . and don't get me started on rocket (arugula). I just adore it's meaty quality and it's fresh peppery bite. Baby greens . . . tender and flavourful, and again quite, quite colourful.
But your salad vegetables need never be limited to just lettuce, cucumber, radishes and tomatoes, there are infinite possibilities out there for salad fixings.
Rule number Two is . . . let your salad imagination go wild. This salad here today is what I like to call a composed salad . . . some moist leftover (or fresh for that matter if you have it) roasted chicken meat, some tender stem broccoli, cooked until just cirpsy tender . . . likewise some tender baby carrots from our garden . . .
Yellow fleshed,waxy new potatoes, simply boiled and broken open with tines of a fork, so that you have all those craggy edges for your dressing to gild . . . a few summer sweet English peas, a couple of boiled eggs, and a few crisp baby gem lettuce leaves . . . and a well flavoured, deliciously substantial and hearty dressing.
Rule number Three . . . any salad is only as good as the dressing provided, and it needn't be from a jar. The whole time I was growing up my mother never, ever served us salads with dressings that came from a jar. She always made her own, from scratch . . . flavourful salad dressings . . .
Salad dressings are so very simple to create . . . and once again . . . the world is your oyster. They can be something as simple as a plain oil and vinegar vinaigrette (2 parts oil to 1 part vinegar) and some seasoning . . . or even with that you can add some minced shallots, and or a nice dollop of Dijon mustard . . . paprika, fresh herbs. . . crushed garlic.
It's sooooo much fun to experiment with colours, flavours and textures. Food should be fun, don't you think??
My mother always made a lovely salad bowl for us to have with our Sunday dinners, and her dressing always got started in the middle of the afternoon.
She always began by dicing some brown onions (peeled) into a bowl and topping them with some vinegar, salt and pepper. She would let that sit and macerate for several hours. I think it helped to take any really annoying sharpness out of the onion, so you were only left with it's sweetness.
And it wasn't always white vinegar that she used either. . . apple cider vinegar often made an appearance as well . . . but lemon or lime juices work well too.
Rule number Four . . . a touch of acid. Lemon or lime juice, a good red or white balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, a good white or red wine vinegar . . . good sherry vinegar. Use a good vinegar and only fresh lemon or lime juices. (Just remember your proportions, one part acid to two parts oil.)
When she was ready to proceed, twice the amount of oil would be added. It would always just be sunflower or corn oil, because that is all we had back then . . . but, really . . . we are spoilt for choice today.
I, more often than not, use a good quality extra virgin olive oil . . . and sometimes a bit of a flavoured oil in addition, such as a walnut, or toasted sesame, depending on what type of salad I am using it for, and the other ingredients.
Rule number Five . . . use a good oil, one that can stand up to the headiness of your acid . . . and which works well with the remaining ingredients in your salad.
A really good Sunday salad dressing was when my mother whisked in a bit of mayonnaise and tiny bit of sugar . . . oh, we loved that salad dressing most of all.
Rule number Six . . . don't be afraid to add flavour with something like Dijon mustard, (smooth or grainy), a good mayonnaise, etc. These types of additions help to make for a really interesting dressing . . . Herbs also add interesting textures and flavours, as do chopped shallots, onions and even garlic.
Fresh is best, but in a pinch you can use dried . . . just remember to let them sit for a while in the dressing to help put the moisture back into them. If you don't like your dressings overly tart . . . don't be afraid to add just a pinch of sugar, honey, or even maple syrup. Just be judicious and taste as you go along.
Rule number Seven . . . season, season . . . season. I like to use a fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, but flaked sea salt is good as well, because it can also provide a bit of nice crunch.
I love grinding my own peppercorns fresh . . . the textures and flavour are superior to already ground pepper. Yes . . . I put my hand up . . . I am a salt and pepper snob. But don't be afraid to use a flavoured salt or even pink or green or white peppercorns!
Eight. Be judicious in all things . . . but don't be afraid to experiment with flavours, colours and textures.
Really . . . if you follow these simple rules, there is no reason for your salads and their dressings to ever be boring or insipid.
Really . . . if you follow these simple rules, there is no reason for your salads and their dressings to ever be boring or insipid.
You may even find yourself or your husband looking at salad in a whole new light. I know my husband loves my salads . . . and this is a guy who claimed to absolutely abhor "rabbit" food when we first got together!!
A refreshingly herby salad dressing. Equally as delicious on cold meats as it is on vegetable salads, or even composed salads, which include a bit of both. Also very good with apples and pears.
165g good quality mayonnaise, low fat if desired (3/4 cup)
2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1 TBS fresh lemon juice (plus more to taste)
1 tsp good quality Dijon mustard
1 tsp caster sugar
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 TBS chopped fresh tarragon leaves
2 TBS chopped fresh chives
2 TBS chopped fresh chervil leaves (if you can't get the fresh then you may use
freeze dried, but only half the amount)
single cream to thin
Whisk all of the ingredients together in a measuring jug to combine completely, thinning as needed with cream.
You will want a drizzable consistency, but not too thin. You will want it to have some substance. Taste and adjust seasoning as you go along.
We like it a little bit on the sweet side as my husband is not overly fond of things that are too tart. Adjust as per your own taste.
Sometimes as I am creating something in my kitchen, I ponder the alchemy of cookery . . . I wonder things like . . . who was it that discovered that eggs were good to eat . . . and then . . . having discovered that they were indeed very good to eat . . . who was it who discovered that if you beat them together with flour, butter, sugar and leavening . . . you ended up with cake???
And then, having pondered that . . . and in the nature of what I was making today . . . who was it that discovered that if you separated the white and yolks . . . the yolks could be beaten light and fluffy . . . and that having done so, if you beat sugar into them and then baked them . . . the result was lovely sweet, crunchy and light meringues???
Yes, I do have an enquiring mind . . . and sometimes I really do wonder about these things . . . perhaps it's just in my nature.
Today, having use the yolks for another purpose, I found myself with a surplus of egg whites. I decided to make some lovely light and sweet meringues. Lightly spiced meringues . . . redolent of ground cardamom and cinnamon . . . and then scattered with coarsely chopped raw pistachio nuts before baking . . .
Some people are afraid of meringues, but they're really not all that difficult to execute, if you follow a few simple rules. Room temperature whites. Clean, grease-free glass or metal bowl and clean beaters. If you add the sugar slowly, it will kind of melt into the egg whites and you will get a nice smooth texture, not gritty at all, and lovely volume. Oh . . . and don't use really fresh egg whites . . . you want them almost to the sell by date . . .for some reason, that's how you get lots of volume. The older the egg white . . . the larger the meringues.
These are beautiful served with sliced berries anda bit of whipped cream . . . kind of like a de-constructed Eton Mess . . . and every bit as lovely. Today I added a bit of lemon juice and icing sugar to the cream . . . so I got a kind of whipped lemon posset cream. You don't need much lemon juice, only a squirt. Your cream thickens up very nicely. If you find it a bit too thick . . . then just stir in a bit more cream.
D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S!! The perfect light dessert for a warm "late" summer's day . . .with the last of the strawberries of the season . . .
*Cardamom & Pistachio Meringues*
Makes 4 to 6
Printable Recipe
Honey coloured, crisp sweet meringues. lightly spiced with cinnamon and cardamom and sprinkled with chopped pistachio nuts. Perfect for serving with poached or fresh fruits.
200g of golden caster sugar (1 cup) (plus a bit extra)
3 large free range egg whites
a generous pinch of each ground cinnamon and ground cardamom
a handful of raw pistachio nuts, coarsely chopped
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Line two baking sheets with some nonstick baking paper. Set aside.
Measure the egg whites into a large grease free glass bowl. Whip with an electric whisk until they are firm and fluffy. Fold in the sugar and spices. Continue to whip with an electric whisk until the mixture is glossy and thick.
Sprinkle the lined baking sheets with some caster sugar. Place into the heated oven to warm. Remove from the oven and then using two spoons scoop 8 ot 9 huge dollops of the whipped egg whites onto the baking sheets, leaving plenty of space in between for spreading. Sprinkle with the chopped pistachio nuts.
Place into the oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 140*C/275*F/ gas mark 1. Bake for about an hour until they are pale honey coloured, reducing the temperature if they begin to brown too much. At the end of that time, turn out the oven (turn it off) and leave the meringues to see in the oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove and cool completely.
Store in an airtight container. Serve with sliced fruit, or poached fruits. Berries are especially good with these.
A few more tips for perfect meringues:
- Make them on a dry day. A humid day or rainy day means there's a lot of moisture in the air and this can adversely affect your meringues
- Cold eggs separate more easily than room temperature ones. Separate them fresh out of the refrigerator, and then let them come to room temperature before whipping.
- Separate your eggs into a small bowl, one at a time, and only adding them to the main bowl when you have done so successfully. The least little bit of egg yolk in the whites means they will not whip. Rather than spoil a whole bowl of whites, better that you only spoil one. You can try to fish it out with a piece of the egg shell, and that will often work, but don't try to use your fingers, as the oil from your fingers will also work adversely against them whipping properly.
- Use superfine sugar if you can. This ensures that it melts better during the whipping process, giving you a smoother textured meringue. Rub a bit of the meringue between your fingers. If it feels gritty, keep beating. Your mixture should be thick, glossy and quite smooth to touch.
You just can't beat having a delicious homebaked muffin for a great "Breakfast on the Go!" Now that the school year has begun once more in earnest . . . those morning moments are all the more precious. Breakfast being the most important meal of the day . . . it's also really important that you eat something which is substantial, fairly healthy and that will help to keep you going until at least coffee break time!
Children have early morning sports and club activities to dash off to, early morning buses to catch . . . mom and dad are trying to get everything sorted, showered and fed before they have to dash off to work . . . and the list goes on and on. It soon becomes far much easier to pick up a donut at the coffee shop on the way in, or feed the hungry babes with a pop tart or other equally as chemical and additive filled portable "breakfast" goodie. Not good . . . they might taste good . . . but they are just not good for you.
Wholesome and hearty muffins, baked with natural ingredients are a delicious and healthier alternative to a fast food breakfast sandwich or other "quick" choice. Taste tempting muffins such as these fabulous ones shown here today . . .
Muffins made with whole grains . . . fruit, not a lot of fat, not a lot of sweetening . . . filling and tasty nonetheless . . . and reasonably sized, not gargantuan. A muffin is supposed to be a muffin . . . not a cake baked in a muffin tin.
Breakfast on the go. Portable goodness. Very easy to bake ahead and freeze, and then just take out as and when you are wanting something quick, and wholesome . . . and filling. This will put some lead in your pencil and help to get you and your family through the morning without finding yourself hungry again half an hour down the road, and so starving by elevensies that you grab something very bad for you like a candy bar or a bag of crisps . . .
I used to have my own coffee shop years ago . . . and these tasty little babies were one of the most popular muffins on the menu. You can substitute mild molasses for the maple syrup if you wish, and other dried fruits for the sultanas . . . if sultanas are not to your taste.
The low fat buttermilk makes them moist . . . sweetened naturally with some maple syrup and muscovado sugar . . . whole bran cereal and unbleached plain flour . . . naturally sweet sultanas, high in fibre and low in fat. These are my breakfast winners! (Sans the butter, of course!! What can I say . . . I felt like indulging myself this morning . . . I can sometimes be quite naughty.)
*Everyday Maple, Bran and Sultana Muffins*
Makes 12 medium muffins
I like my Bran Muffins chock full of raisins, but feel free to subsitute other dried fruits such as blueberries, cranberries or chopped apricots or dates.
Moist and delicious muffins! Not too sweet. I bake these and then store them in the freezer. Then I take them out, one or two at a time and just reheat them for a few seconds in the microwave.
375ml of low fat buttermilk (1 1/2 cups)
2 large free range eggs
4 TBS unsalted butter, melted
60ml of sunflower oil (1/4 cup)
60ml of pure maple syrup (1/4 cup)
50g of all bran cereal (about 1 1/2 cups)
225g of raisins (1 1/2 cups)
100g of plain flour (1 cup)
30g of wheat or oat bran (1/2 cup)
50g of soft light brown muscovado sugar (1/4 cup packed)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
50g of toasted chopped walnuts, or pecans (1/2 cup) (optional)
Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Butter a standard sized 12 cup metal muffin tin(2 1/2 inch diameter cups) really well, including the top of the pan. Set aside.
Combine the buttermilk, butter, eggs, oil, maple syrup, bran cereal and raisins in a large bowl. Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes to soften the bran and plump the raisins.
Whisk the nuts (if using), flour, wheat bran, sugar, baking powder, soda and sea salt together in another bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the liquid mixture. Fold together just to moisten. Divide the batter between the muffin cups, filling them just level with the edge of the pan. Bake in the centre of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are golden brown, well risen and spring back when lightly touched. A toothpick should also come out of the centre clean. Don't overbake. Allow to sit in the pans for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool. Serve on the day, or freeze in air tight containers for up to 3 months. (Reheat for about 30 seconds in the microwave when you are ready to eat.)
One thing that I really love about having a vegetable box delivered to my home is that I occasionally get to try out vegetables that I would not normally ever see in my local shops and in fact probably wouldn't ever see other than in photos unless I grew them myself. Lovely vegetables such as beautiful purple carrots, with deep purple skins and brilliantly orange centres . . . and heirloom beetroots, all lovely ruby and white striped . . .
I really don't know alot about heirloom vegetables, except that they go back to days or yore, before hybrids . . . these are the original vegetable varieties before man tampered with them I assume. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong. I just loved their beautiful colours, just like jewels. I decided to roast them, which I felt would enhance their natural sweetness. I added some fresh picked regular carrots from out own garden, which did abysmally horribly bad this year . . . and some red onions. I also added some fresh herbs from my herb garden, which we have finally managed to wrestle back from the slugs!
I had once tasted a salad which I had bought in M & S that I really, really liked . . . a salad composed of roasted butternut squash, red onions and rocket, along with Israeli Couscous and a spicy vinaigrette. It was quite delicious.
I thought the pretty jeweled colours of these lovely heirloom vegetables, and the sweetness which came from roasting them would be quite tasty in a salad. I was not wrong . . . the roasting brought out an incredible amount of flavour . . . lots of sweetness coming from those caramelized edges and curves . . . and the colours . . . well, they just beautiful.
I used Israeli couscous because it is robust and I felt it would stand up to the vegetables in this salad, as I wanted to leave them rather chunky . . . and visible. A smaller couscous would have gotten lost . . .
The dressing was a fabulous lemon and rosemary vinaigrette . . . created by infusing fresh lemon juice with the flavours of garlic and rosemary, and then whisking the infused and strained lemon juice together with some extra virgin olive oil, a bit of sugar to cut the edge of the lemon juice, and then then seasoned simply with some fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Served simply with some grilled marinated poussins, it was a lovely supper . . . much enjoyed by the both of us and something I would definitely repeat. I am sure it would taste just as fabulous with regular carrots and beetroot . . . but why not use the bejeweled ones if you have them.
Why not indeed . . .
*Roasted Roots Salad with a Lemon & Rosemary Vinaigrette*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe
I got some really pretty purple carrots and heirloom beetroots in a recent veggie box. I wanted to create a salad to show them of at their best. I think this does the trick.
For the vegetables:
4 heirloom beetroots
4 purple carrots
4 small orange carrots
2 red onions
1 TBS of light olive oil
1 sprig rosemary
a couple sprigs of fresh marjoram
a pinch each of coarse sea salt, ground black pepper and crushed sumac
For the salad:
150g of giant Israeli couscous
hot vegetable stock
a small handful of fresh flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
For the dressing:
1 clove of garlic, peeled and degermed
2 springs of rosemary, stems removed
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
the juice of one lemon
75ml of extra virgin olive oil
1 heaped tsp of golden caster sugar
coarsely ground black pepper to taste
Preheat your oven to 200*C/400*f/ gas mark 5. Line a large baking sheet with some heavy duty foil. Peel your beetroots and cut into one inch wedges. Place in a bowl. Don't peel your carrots unless you have to. Cut them into bite size pieces, first cutting them in half lengthwise and then into about 2 inch lengths. Place them into the bowl with the beetroots. Peel your onions and cut into bite size wedges. Add them to the bowl as well. Pull the leaves off the rosemark and the marjoram. Toss them into the bowl along with the seasalt, pepper and sumac. Add the olive oil and toss to coat. (You may need more oil, but don't overdo it.) spread the coated vegetables out onto the baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes in the heated oven. Remove and flip them over and stir them around. Return to the oven and roast for a further 10 minutes. Rrepeat the tossing and stirring. Repeat this several more times, about 4 in all, roasting them for about 40 minutes, until they are knife tender and caramelized in spots.
While the vegetables are roasting cook your Israeli couscous. Bring the vegetable stock to the boil and then drop in the couscous. Boil for 6 to 8 minutes, until tender. Drain well and rinse. Place into a bowl. Add the roasted vegetables and give them all a good stir together. Set aside.
Place the garlic, roasemary leaves and sea salt into the bowl of a pestle and mortar. Bash really well with the pestle until you have a pasty mixture. The rosemary will not break down too much, but that's ok. Add the lemon juice. allow to sit and infuse for about 15 minutes. Strain the mixture into a bowl, discarding the solids. Whisk in the olive oil and sugar. Season to taste with some black pepper. Pour this mixture over the vegetables and couscous. Toss to mix and coat all with the dressing. Stir in the chopped parsley and serve.
I was given a mammoth Courgette the other day. I didn't mind at all . . . we kinda like courgettes, and as long as they aren't overly large, there's still a lot of value in them.
Once they get too big, they get a bit too spongy for me. I prefer small to medium sized ones, but the larger ones are quite good to use to make tasty courgette loaves . . . such as the one I made last week.
Courgettes are probably one of the easier vegetables to grow, and in truth will take over your garden quite quickly. We never plant more than about half a dozen plants and we get plenty from them. If you plant much more than that . . . you have courgettes literally coming out your ears and find yourself scrambling to find ways to use them up. This year however . . . we got zip. The slugs ate all the plants when we were away in July. Hence the well meant gift from a friend . . . which we sincerely did appreciate very much.
Courgettes are one of those vegetables that will just about take to any flavours you want to put with them. I love that you can eat the blossoms . . . as well as the flesh. Both are incredibly tasty . . . depending on what you do with them. The other day I decided to use half of the large one, grated and baked into a tasty loaf . . . and then the other half I made into this delicious gratin.
It's simply wilted courgettes and onions, layered in a dish with both a strong cheddar and a parmesan cheese . . . a garlic cream poured over top . . . and then the whole thing sprinkled with crunchy homemade garlic and herbed croutons.
All in all . . . served up with a crusty loaf . . . it made for quite a delicious and simple late summer repast . . . there won't be many more of these if I am to trust that very tangible chill that I can already feel in the air . . .
Ahhh summer . . . you came to us too late and then left us far too soon . . .
*A Gratin of Late Summer Courgettes, Onions and Cheese*
Serves 2 as a main, or 4 as a side
Printable Recipe
Something delicious to create when you've been gifted with an oversized courgette!
1/2 of a large cougette
(or 2 medium ones)
1 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 clove of garlic, peeled and bruised
250ml of heavy cream (1 cup)
freshly grated nutmeg
fine seasalt and freshly ground black pepper
120g of strong cheddar cheese, grated (1 cup)
2 TBS finely grated Parmesan Cheese
a few sprigs of fresh thyme
a handful of crushed garlic croutons
If you are using a very large courgette, you will have to cut it in half and scoop out the seeds and discard them. Once you have done that, slice the courgette into half moons and place into a large microwaveable bowl. Cover with plastic cling film and cook on high for about 3 minutes. Remove and let stand for about 5 minutes. Place the thinly sliced onion into a microwaveable container, cover with plastic cling film and cook on high for about 2 minutes. Set aside for a few minutes. Drain the courgette slices and the onions well.
Place the cream and garlic in a small saucepan. Heat gently until warmed through. Let stand for 10 minutes to infuse. Remove and discard the garlic at the end of that time. Season the cream with a bit of freshly grated nutmeg.
Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/gas mark 6. Butter a medium sized gratin dish. Layer half of the courgette slices into it. Sprinkle with some salt and pepper. Cover with all of the onions. Sprinkle with half of the cheddar cheese, 1 TBS of the parmesan cheese and pour half of the cream evenly over top. Lay the remaining courgette slices over top of all. Season lightly again. Pour over the remainder of the cream. Sprinkle on the remaining cheeses and cover with the crushed croutons.
Bake in the heated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until nicely heated through and the cheese is melted and the gratin is golden brown. Let stand for about 5 minutes before serving.
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