I've only got three for courgette haters but recipes for veggie haters is a particular talent of mine! In the first two recipes, few people even know they are eating courgettes - the last you can taste the courgette but it tastes so different from what people are used to that you can sometimes get away with it.
Courgette and walnut cake
250g plain flour
2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
3 eggs
250ml vegetable oil
300g caster sugar
225g grated courgette
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
115g chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 180 C / Gas 4. Lightly grease one 20x30cm baking tin.
Combine eggs, oil, sugar, courgette and vanilla. Beat until well mixed. Stir in the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt, baking powder and cinnamon; mix until just combined. Stir in the chopped walnuts. Pour batter into prepared tin.
Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes.
Catalan tarts with courgette jam
(you can also just make the courgette 'jam' - it goes very well in a bacon sandwich!)
For the shortcrust pastry
150g unsalted butter
250g plain flour, plus extra for rolling
50g icing sugar
2 egg yolks
2 tbsp (30ml) ice-cold water
For the courgette jam
300g courgettes
175g caster sugar
1 lemon, zest cut into strips, juiced
½ tsp ground cinnamon
OR use shop bought pastry - sweet if you can find it.
For the Catalan cream
500ml milk
6 egg yolks
50g caster sugar
50g cornflour
1 pinch each grated lemon zest and cinnamon
Demerara sugar, for scattering on top
If making own pastry: Rub together the butter, flour and icing sugar. Stir together the egg yolks and water, add to the flour bowl and mix to a soft paste. Wrap in clingfilm, pat into a flattish block and chill until firm.
Roll out the dough to about 0.5cm thick, cut into discs and press these into the pockets of a muffin tray. Chill again until firm, then blind bake at 170C (150C fan-assisted)/335F/gas mark 3 for 20 minutes, then remove the paper/baking beans and bake for five to 10 minutes more, until golden and crisp.
Peel and finely grate the courgettes, place in a pan and cook with 50ml water until simmering and softened. Add the sugar, bring to a boil, then add the lemon juice and zest, and the cinnamon. Cook until thickened, then set aside to cool. Spoon a little of the courgette jam into the base of each tart.
In a saucepan, whisk the milk, egg yolks, sugar and cornflour until smooth. Add the lemon and cinnamon, and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Fill each tart case with spoonfuls of this custard, set aside until cold, then sprinkle demerara sugar over the top of the tarts. Caramelise the tops with a kitchen blowtorch if you have one or put tarts in fridge until cold and then caramelise for a couple of minutes under a hot grill.
Courgette balls (serves 4)
For the balls:
500g courgettes
½ teaspoon salt
1 hot green chilli, finely chopped
3 tablspoons onion, very finely chopped
1 teaspoon grated ginger
2 tablespoon chopped coriander
45g flour (ideally gram flour but plain will do)
Oil for frying
For the sauce:
2 medium onions, finely chopped and fried in oil
¼ teaspoon turmeric, cayenne to taste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 tin chopped tomatoes
150ml double cream
½ teaspoon garam masala
½ teaspoon ground cumin
Salt
To make the balls, grate the courgettes and put in a colander with the salt. Leave for half an hour, then squeeze with your hands, saving the liquid for the sauce. Mix in the rest of the ingredients, sprinkling flour in last. Mix well and make into little balls. Fry in hot oil until they've browned all over and put them into a gratin dish, in a single layer.
For the sauce - Fry the onions for 7-8 minutes in oil until lightly browned. Add the turmeric, cayenne, cumin and coriander. Stir and add the tomatoes. Add 240ml of the courgette juice (make up with water if not enough). Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and season.
Pour the sauce over the courgette balls, cover and simmer gently for 6-7 minutes, spooning the sauce over the balls as you go. Cooking in a low oven for a bit longer is another easy option.