CELEBRATING COURGETTES

Make the most of a summer glut with fresh ideas from Samuel Goldsmith, and tend to your crop with advice from Emma Crawforth of BBC Gardeners' World

- Emma Crawforth

Anyone who's grown their own courgettes knows how useful it is to have a plethora of recipes to call upon for using up a glut. A couple of plants should keep a family happily in a courgette wonderland for the year, without the risk of never wanting to see or eat another one again. Courgettes contain a lot of moisture, which can be a great help in many recipes. However, when frying them, as in the curry on page 96, I scoop out the seeds to get a golden, nutty bite that's not at all soggy in the middle. The seeds aren't wasted though - I've added them in later to make the most of their flavour and moisture. If using baby courgettes, you can fry them without removing the seeds. Picking your courgettes earlier in the season means you'll be rewarded with a tender, less bitter fruit that's perfect in risottos or simply eaten raw. The pakoras, also on page 96, are an ideal starter to serve ahead of the curry. The natural moisture of courgettes works with the gram flour to bind all the ingredients together (a tip I learned from cookbook writer and former Bake Off semi-finalist Chetna Makan). This helps keep the recipe simple, ruling out the need to squeeze out the liquid.

The real beauty of courgettes, other than their glorious green colour, is that they take on flavour well, whether that's spices, tangy marinades, or citrus flavours, as in the cake on page 97. Combining grated courgette with pistachios and lime in a sweet and zesty sponge gives you a summer treat to serve when friends and family come to visit. There are lots more options for sweet bakes using courgettes at bbcgoodfood.com/ courgette-recipes and even a courgette martini recipe.

Courgette curry

Scoop out the seeds before slicing and frying the courgettes to achieve a firmer texture in this curry. Nothing is wasted - the seeds bulk out the sauce when added towards the end of cooking.

SERVES 4