Courgette Timbales - yet another zucchini recipe!

I was complaining about the continuing abundance of my garden yesterday when I was talking to my mother.  She asked if I had a good recipe for zucchini.  If not, a friend of hers had one and she would get it for me.  Yes, absolutely, I can always use another!  'Another' she asked?  ' You already have one?'  It never did and would not now occur to my mother that there was more than one way (maybe two) to fix a particular food.  Oh, other people might do it differently but once one became competent in a given recipe that was it.  It was Aunt Mae's Potato Salad, and cousin Carol's Cole Slaw.  Don't get me wrong, my mother was an excellent cook, just not an adventurous one.  She put sherry in the beef stew once and proudly declared that it was the best beef stew she ever made.  Did she repeat it?  No.  She had her standard dishes and that is what she cooked, probably a range of about 20 'dinners'.  When I told her that I had about 15 zucchini recipes but could always use another (and who couldn't?) she told me that I obviously had enough...and that was that!
Here's this weeks:
Zucchini (Courgette) Timbales with Red Pepper Sauce
1 1/3 cup shredded courgette (no need to peel)
1 egg
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2/3 cup shredded cheese (50gr)
1 tbs snipped fresh chives
1 tsp snipped fresh thyme
Whisk together egg and mustard.  Add rest of ingredients and mix well.  Spoon into timbale dishes (small custard baking dishes) that have been buttered, the bottom lined with buttered parchment paper.  Cover top with a circle of buttered parchment paper.  Set into a pan of very hot water that comes half way up the sides of the dishes.  Put into a pre-heated 400F (200C) oven and bake 25 - 30 minutes, until set.  Remove top paper and slide a knife around the sides to loosen.  Invert on to the serving plate and remove bottom paper.  Spoon over some Red Pepper sauce and serve.
Red Pepper Sauce
1 red pepper, seeded and cut into large chunks - no need to peel
1 shallot, chopped
1 tbs olive oil
1/3 cup chicken stock
1 tbs tomato paste
Saute shallot in olive oil in a small saucepan until tender.  Add pepper chunks and chicken stock.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer until pepper is very tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and puree, using as much chicken stock as needed to make a thick sauce.  Add tomato paste.
One of the challenges in cooking for two is to use up the bits that are leftover...like the Red Pepper Sauce.  One can't always cut  a recipe down and still get the proper results.   So, the next night we had:
Faux Patatas Bravas
2 medium potatoes cut into large chunks
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs fines herbes
1 tbs sherry vinegar
Red Pepper Sauce
Whisk together the oil, herbes and vinegar.  Add potatoes and toss to coat.  Cook in grill pan on barbecue grill about 25 minutes or until done and starting to brown and get a bit crispy.  Put into a bowl and pour warmed red pepper sauce over.  Sprinkle with smokey Paprika.

Comments

[tinker]

that looks like a good recipe. i think i will try it!

[Mimi]

Yum. Great idea and stylish photos.

Thanks!

[jann mumford]

This looks like a show-stopper of a recipe! Wow...one to serve for company. It looked as if this was quite complicated, but actually, it isn't that bad. I think I can do this.........thanks and happy cooking. P S. I love these veggies!

[Katie]

It is so simple to make....don't tell anyone I said that....

[Loulou]

This recipe looks amazing!
I look forward to more.