Summer. Supposedly.

 

Late May should be a pleasant time of year, full of gentle warmth. Instead, as I write this it’s blowing a hooly and the rain is lashing the windows. So, of course, this was the week I decided to go for full on summer cooking. Ah well.

Still, it wasn’t a disaster. Although it was a heavily salad based week (we got a very large bag of salad in last week’s veg box), it always included a warm element, so it wasn’t too bad. Thursday night’s dinner was especially good: griddled courgettes with chickpeas and tahini sauce.

If it sounds a bit beige, trust me on this one, it isn’t. The recipe is in the ever-reliable Home Cookery Year. Start with the chickpeas – either tinned or from a jar. Drain, rinse, and either leave to dry or pat dry. Then mix them with lightly ground cumin and coriander seeds, and stick them in the oven for 20 minutes (I actually cooked them for 25 minutes, but my oven is sloooooow), until cooked and slightly crunchy.

Once they’re in, chop your courgette(s) in half lengthwise. I had one large courgette, so I cut them in half the other way as well. Griddle (or grill) them for a few minutes on each side, then put them in the oven for just under ten minutes (again, mine took longer). I also did some asparagus at the same time, as I had a bit left, and most meals are improved by asparagus.

While they’re cooking, make the sauce by mixing tahini, lemon juice and water. It will look hideous and split when you first add the water, but have faith and keep whisking, it will be fine.

Put the courgettes and chickpeas on a plate, and dollop (you may drizzle if you choose, I love tahini) the sauce over them, then scatter with sumac and fresh mint. We had this with flatbreads to make it a bit more substantial. It’s good as it is, but it would also be nice with some sausages, if you wanted it to be less vegan and virtuous.

Delicious though this was, I am still planning soup and other warming things for next week. I feel comfort food may be necessary, as my personal unlocking roadmap is being disrupted by the Indian variant, which has seeded itself in Canterbury – cases are rising again here, which is concerning. We’ve decided we’re going to stick to outdoors until either I get my second jab, or cases fall. We’ve booked a table in the garden of a local restaurant for next Thursday, to mark three weeks since my first jab and my husband’s second, but looking at the weather…oh dear. Meep. Wish us luck…