Tright here is now a glut of weighty courgettes, buxom tomatoes and peppers, a bountiful second that may hold giving late into the winter, as long as you get forward and protect them in good oil. However, for now, they’re all greens that flourish from Madrid to Marrakech, and it’s from these areas that I’ve taken inspiration this week. To get one of the best from them, prepare dinner over a fireplace, fry in loads of olive oil or roast till charred, candy and caramelised. All three dishes are greatest delivered to room temperature and eaten within the backyard, seasoned with sunshine and a glass of one thing good.

Stuffed tomatoes with capers, currants and pine nuts

This was impressed by a visit to Sicily, the place beautiful native produce is mixed with Moorish spices and the opulence of dried fruit and nuts. Serve with some contemporary buffalo mozzarella, in the event you like.

Prep 15 min
Cook dinner 1 hr 30 min
Serves 4

8 giant ripe tomatoes
2 tbsp olive oil, plus 80ml further for the stuffing, and additional for drizzling
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp allspice
1 tsp pul biber
200g contemporary breadcrumbs, comprised of day-old stale bread, reminiscent of ciabatta
80g currants, soaked in scorching water for half-hour and drained
100g pine nuts
60g capers, rinsed
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Sea salt and pepper
Basil leaves, to garnish

Warmth the oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/fuel 4. Minimize the highest off every tomato and hold these lids. Scoop out the flesh with a teaspoon, roughly chop it and put aside.

Put two tablespoons of the olive oil in a frying pan on a medium-low warmth, then fry the onion till delicate. Add the garlic and, as soon as aromatic, the cinnamon, allspice and pul biber, and fry till aromatic. Add the chopped tomato flesh, prepare dinner till jammy, then go away to chill.

In a big bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, currants, pine nuts, capers, oregano, parsley and the fried onion combination, then season to style. Pour in 60ml olive oil, combine, then stuff into every tomato cavity, packing it in tightly.

Prepare the tomatoes in an ovenproof dish that holds them snugly, high with the reserved lids, drizzle with extra olive oil and bake for 45 minutes to an hour, till tender however nonetheless holding their form.

Serve at room temperature scattered with basil leaves.

Baked courgettes with romesco crust

For one of the best flavour, roast the peppers on the open flame of a fuel range or straight on a barbecue. Function a foremost with a inexperienced salad or as an accompaniment to grilled meat or fish.

Prep 10 min
Relaxation 20 min
Cook dinner 1 hr 15 min
Serves 4

2 giant inexperienced courgettes
2 giant yellow courgettes
Olive oil, for frying and drizzling
5 giant tomatoes
2 purple onions, peeled and minimize into wedges
A couple of sprigs every contemporary oregano and thyme, leaves picked

For the romesco crust
2 purple peppers
40g hazelnuts, toasted
1 garlic clove
1 tsp candy smoked paprika
100g sourdough bread
2 tsp sherry vinegar
30ml olive oil
A superb grating of parmesan
1 handful finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, to garnish

Start by making the romesco crust. Warmth the grill to medium-high and grill the peppers, turning often, till their pores and skin is darkish and blistered. Switch to a bowl, cowl with clingfilm, go away to steam for 20 minutes, then peel and deseed. Tear the flesh into strips and pat dry with kitchen paper.

In a meals processor, blitz the hazelnuts to a rough crumble, then tip right into a bowl and put aside. Put the pepper strips and garlic within the meals processor, add the paprika, bread and vinegar, and pulse to coarse crumbs. With the motor operating, slowly drizzle within the olive oil in a gradual stream, then stir within the hazelnuts.

Warmth the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/fuel 6. Minimize the courgettes diagonally into ½cm-thick slices. Warmth a splash of oil in a big frying pan, then fry the courgettes in batches for 2 minutes on both sides, till golden. Thickly slice the tomatoes, then prepare with the onions and courgettes in a 1.2-litre ovenproof dish. Drizzle generously with olive oil, season, scatter over the oregano and thyme, and roast for 20-25 minutes, till the tomatoes are shrivelled and onions are delicate and somewhat caramelised.

Prime with the romesco crust and an excellent grating of parmesan, then bake for an additional 10-Quarter-hour, till the crust is crisp. Scatter over the parsley and serve.

Roast purple pepper, watermelon and feta salad

A jar of roast peppers gives limitless alternatives. Right here, they carry a bittersweet dimension to a watermelon and feta salad.

Prep 15 min
Steep 45 min
Cook dinner 25 min
Serves 4-6

250ml sunflower oil
2 pitta or Lebanese flatbreads, minimize into quarters
1 x 290g jar roast purple peppers, drained and minimize into strips
1 mini watermelon, peeled and minimize into bite-sized chunks
4 ripe tomatoes, heritage for choice, minimize into chunks
100g inexperienced pitted olives
2 tbsp capers, rinsed
1 handful mint, torn
1 handful flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
200g feta

For the dressing
1 purple onion, peeled and really finely sliced
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp caster sugar
2 tbsp dried oregano
2 tbsp red-wine vinegar
6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Start by making the dressing. In a bowl, combine the onion, sea salt, sugar and oregano, and therapeutic massage it together with your fingers. Prime with the vinegar and olive oil, and go away to steep for 45 minutes.

Put the sunflower oil in a saucepan on a medium warmth and, as soon as scorching, add half the bread and fry till golden. Drain on absorbent paper, and repeat with the remaining bread.

In a serving bowl or platter, combine the peppers, watermelon, tomatoes, olives and capers. Break the fried bread into tough items and stir that in, too. Add the herbs and dressing, scatter over the feta, toss and serve.