3 September 2006
For goodness’ sakes, do you really have to click that mouse so loudly?
Last night we went to a party. We don’t get out much so this was a bit of an event for us. We went with good friends and met loads of brilliant people and generally had a wonderful time. Especially when after we had left and gone not home, but back to our pals’ house, one of them ended up dancing on the dining table. I’m just glad she didn’t have a pole in the kitchen.
As a result of our sociableness we are both feeling a little delicate today. Or, absolutely bloody awful, as it’s also known. Please be sure you read this quietly because my head hurts and loud noises feel as though there is another, even more riotous party going on inside my skull. Getting hungover when there are no painkillers in the house is no laughing matter.
We had planned to do a load of sorting and clearing out today in preparation for the Great Big Bathroom Project (GBBP) which will be starting towards the end of the month and lasting for a whopping 6 weeks. But neither of us is up to that. Instead, Owen is sitting in an armchair reading quietly with his shades on and moaning whenever the cat stamps through the room, and I have spent the last three hours or so cooking. It’s been remarkably therapeutic.
All of which is a roundabout way of saying, ‘Look what we had with our dinner today, wouldn’t you like to know how to make it?’ Here then, is my improvised recipe for stuffed Rondo di Nizza courgettes. Not only delicious, but making them is a tried and tested hangover soother, though not cure.
- Cook some rice. How much? Good question. I just guestimated how much I thought would fill the courgette (You want accuracy? Talk to Delia.) Make sure it’s brown rice as the nuttiness of it is lovely in this recipe.
- Now for the round courgettes. Choose courgettes that are just bigger than tennis ball sized so that the flesh will still be firm and the skin will still be tender. Slice off the top and hold onto this part as it will form a fetching ‘lid’ for your stuffed courgette. If, like me, you realise that you need a lid only after you have already chopped this piece of the courgette into tiny pieces for the worms to enjoy, despair not. The courgettes can be cooked lidless, or you can improvise with a pepper like I did.
- Scoop out the flesh.
- Chop up the courgette flesh into small pieces and mix with the rice. I’ve also added chopped red pepper, but you could mix all sorts of things in – peas, bacon, aubergine. Add enough passata to bind the ingredients together, but not make them sloppy. Add a little grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper. I also put just a smidgen of chilli flakes in this one.
- Brush the inside and outside of the courgette with a little oil. It’s probably a good idea to transfer the courgette immediately to the baking tray you’re going to cook it on, rather than to try to handle the slippery thing once it’s stuffed, because otherwise you risk seeing your beautiful courgette leap out of your hands and through the window. See how I pass on my hard-learned lessons?
- Now fill the courgette with the rice mixture. You will probably have some rice mixture left over which can be saved and enjoyed later in the week. Top with a little more grated cheese and the lid. Cook in a quite hot oven for about half an hour, maybe a fraction longer.
- Enjoy:
I’ve done one here between the two of us, but we also had roast potatoes, a dauphinoise, roast curried butternut squash, sweetcorn, french beans and broccoli all as side dishes. Ordinarily I would say that one each is good as an accompaniment, but a couple or so each would also make a nice light lunch.
Now, if you could make sure not to slam the door as you leave, that would be great. Thanks.
Filed under: Recipes - Non-soup — Clare @ 6:01 pm
Hi Sweary Lady,
I showed this to the mistress yesterday and mighty impressed she was, too. I’m afraid she’s suffering from ‘courgette glut’ so anything showing her something new to do with them is welcome (I really must get that book I keep seeing advertised in GYO & KG). She’s been experimenting with courgette sponge cake this weekend and damn fine it was too
I read in a Jamie Oliver book only yesterday his method for perfect rice and thought it sounded just the thing for stuffing peppers and the like – I’ll dig it back out and pass it on (unless you have it – Return of the Naked Chef – watch those pervy searches go right back up now)
P.S. As a fellow Farscape fan, have you seen Serenity? If not, you must – the closest thing to Farscape I’ve seen for ages. Oh, and the new Battlestar Galactica is pretty cool, too.
(04.09.06 @ 10:47 am)
Glad you like the post! I do have that Jmaie book so I’ll look that up. I also have a really good mexican rice recipe with peppers and spring onions and cumin seeds that is gorgeous and would be great for stuffing things too. That will have to wait for another time – or perhaps I could scan it in and email you…
No, not seen Serenity, though I think I’ll check it out. Once we’ve got through all the Farscape (almost through series 3 now, the second Chrighton has just died of massive radiation poisoning, very sad). I’ve see the opener of Battlestar Gallactica and we’re waiting to borrow the DVDs from our friends. The ones with the in-house table dancing…
(04.09.06 @ 10:59 am)
Scan and email is good – I’ll do the same. You’ve got my email via this comment.
Man, when No2 died it was horrible! So, have you not seen them all to the end before? Or are you just wacthing again? Did you catch the 4-part mini-series that came after the show was canned?
Seening Serenity has really made me want to watch the ill-fated Firefly series.
In-house table dancing is something I’d pay good money to watch
(04.09.06 @ 11:22 am)
OK – recipe on its way to you soon.
This is 3rd time around for us Farscape-wise, though only second time from the very beginning… We’re sad.
The in-house table-dancing won’t cost you a bean, but boy do you pay the price in headaches and other hangover symptoms the next day. I’m still feeling less than 100% today!
(04.09.06 @ 11:43 am)
LOL! A friend’s now-wife had a hen night shock – her sister & friends had booked them all into a Manchester club for a surprise private pole dancing lesson. I have not yet seen the pictures, but it’s only a matter of time
(04.09.06 @ 12:56 pm)
On a sweary front, have a look at this forum thread:
http://forum.midiaddict.com/viewtopic.php?t=80201
(04.09.06 @ 2:24 pm)
I like. I think I might experiment on a mega global front by using a marrow. Thus cutting it in half and creating a vegetarian model and a meaty version.
(07.09.06 @ 8:59 pm)
Sweary mate – where have you gone? Come back!
(11.09.06 @ 11:46 am)
Gnome – I hope you have lots of friends you can invite round to share your feast with!
Burro – Fear not, I’m still here. Just had nothing to write. This is what excesssive alcohol consumption will do. It destroys all the brain cells that have ideas.
(11.09.06 @ 3:19 pm)
Euro Twatstyle is the best music genre name I have heard ever. I shall be nipping down to Soho to but armfuls of vinyl post-haste.
I read that post with a hushed whisper and sub-conciously turned down my music, which is weird.
My Dave loves Farscape! He keeps wanting me to watch it, but I keep being too busy.
(13.09.06 @ 12:27 pm)
Mildew – Thank you for your considerate quiet reading. Much appreciated! And you must make time for Farscape. Ignore the fact that you will probably think the first two or three episodes are dren because of the muppets – it does get much, much better (though the thrid and fourth series are by far the best – frelling brilliant).
(13.09.06 @ 2:17 pm)
opinie hotele bulgaria , [url=http://hotele.multiply.com/journal/item/3/Noclegi_w_Zakopanem]zakopane noclegi centrum tanie[/url] , warszawa hotele 5 gwiazdkowe , noclegi kazimierz dolny nad wisla , [url=http://www.blogigo.com/Noclegi_w_Zakopanem]noclegi zakopane tanie[/url] , rewal pokoje jednoosobowe , hotele mediolan centrum , [url=http://spaniepl.blog.com/2011/07/08/wspaniale-noclegi-w-gorach/]noclegi zakopane centrum z wyzywieniem[/url] , noclegi dzwirzyno
https://www.flatworldknowledge.com/users/elzbietairtea84
http://www.sugarcrm.com/forums.....?u=1281401
http://my.opera.com/anastazjarellock73/blog/
(11.07.11 @ 6:36 pm)
Headache Nausea Drugs [url=http://catonsvillerun.org/]buy cheap phentermine online[/url] Many doctors will prescribe Phentermine when they feel as though the health of the individual is in imminent danger. [url=http://catonsvillerun.org/]purchase phentermine online[/url]
(22.10.11 @ 2:28 am)