After the recent rounds of friends sofa's and spare rooms for the past week, I have thankfully got a whole house to my self for a week. I was lucky enough to have a house lent to me for a week whilst some friends took their kids on holiday. Their house is one of those houses which I would love to own when I grow up (even though I think I am actually grown up, but more than likely will never own a house, never mind one as amazing as my friends), a beautiful family home in the midst of Hackney full of gorgeous handcrafted objects and decorated internally in a homely yet modern fashion. The main delight of the house though is the large expansive garden out the back, which my friends have turned into a large veggie plot, providing them with all the fresh veg, fruit and herbs that anyone could dream of.
When I moved in there was a note on the table telling me where the freshly washed sheets were and to make myself at home, but to make sure that I watered the garden every day. In return for watering the garden I could eat any of their produce which was ready to eat - I literally skipped out in to the garden and went to see what was ready and what I could cook and eat for supper that evening. After an initial look around there seemed to be nothing available, but after a closer inspection I spotted a lone courgette peaking out from underneath some leaves. One courgette was enough to produce a plate of supper of some kind surely, having doubts I then remembered a dish that me and a dinner companion ate a few weeks earlier at
St John Bread and Wine , I quickley sprang into action. Well not so much sprang into action, but a slow amble to the local shop to get some more ingredients to go with the courgette.
Courgette, White Bean and Goats Curd
1 x Courgette sliced
1 x Brown Onion finely diced
1 x Clove of garlic
1 x tin of Cannelloni Beans (can use any white beans for this dish including butter beans and haricot beans)
Goats Curd or Soft Goats Cheese
Veg stock
Fresh Thyme
Fresh Parsley
Maldon and Black Pepper
1. Sweat brown onion and garlic in a pan with a knob of butter and olive oil.
2. Add chopped leaves off a few stalks of Thyme
3. Add sliced courgette and sweat off for a few more moments
4. Add the rinsed Cannelloni beans, stir and season
5. Add a drop of veg stock to braise the veg and the beans for a few more minutes
6. Once courgettes and beans have braised for about five minutes add some chopped parsley
7. Place the bean and courgette mix onto a plate and then top with Goats Curd or Soft Goats cheese (which more readily available).
