This is such a beautiful way to cook courgettes, by cooking the courgettes this way they become soft, charred and succulent which pairs so well with the gentle but strong romesco sauce topped with a creamy mint and yogurt sauce. This is magnificent! We used small new season courgettes for this for a really sweet version.

Courgette hassleback with romesco sauce and mint yogurt

Name: Courgette hassleback with romesco sauce and mint yogurt
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 2 courgettes (medium ); 1 jar roast red pepper (220g); 1 clove garlic; 100 g blanched almonds; 8 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp vinegar; 2 tsp salt; 1/4 black pepper; 250 g coconut yoghurt; 10 g fresh mint; 2 tbsp tahini; 1/2 lemon juice; pinch of salt ()

Takes 35 minutes

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 courgettes medium

Romesco Sauce

1 jar roast red pepper 220g
1 clove garlic
100 g blanched almonds
8 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp vinegar
2 tsp salt
1/4 black pepper

Yoghurt Sauce

250 g coconut yoghurt
10 g fresh mint
2 tbsp tahini
1/2 lemon juice
pinch of salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C.
Carefully slice the courgettes 3/4 of the way through the courgettes and space the slices approx 1/2 cm apart to create a hassle back courgette, repeat with other courgette and place on a baking tray. Brush with 2 tablespoons of oil and a generous pinch of salt and try to ensure some of the oil gets into the slices in the courgettes. Bake for 20 mins. While they are baking make the romesco sauce and the mint yogurt.
For the Romesco sauce, peel the garlic cloves and add with all the rest of the the ingredients to a food processor or blender and blend till smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.For the mint yogurt sauce remove the mint leaves from the stalk and finely dice. Add the rest of the ingredients together in a bowl and mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.Check on the courgettes and open up some of the slices and add a tiny bit more oil to ensure they really go golden on the inside. Bake for a further 5 mins until well cooked so that they are soft, slightly charred but that they hold their shape.
Get 2 bowls to serve and put a generous base layer of the romesco sauce, add a courgette on top and drizzle over the yogurt sauce for a lovely finish.Enjoy!