Courgette Muffins

One of the last things I did with my home grown courgettes over the summer was make Courgette Muffins. I made them as a light pudding for a dinner party my parents had and they went down a treat. They are really lovely and moist as they include apple as well as courgette and then they had that citrusy tang with the orange. I'm a total fan of vegetable cakes!




Courgette Muffins (from Good Food Magazine July 2010)
(Makes 12)

50g courgettes, cut into chunks
1 apple, peeled and quartered
1 orange, halved
1 egg
75g butter, melted
300g self-raising flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp cinnamon
100g golden caster sugar
handful of sultanas
1 tub soft cheese mixed with 3 tbsp icing sugar, to make icing

Brush the muffin tin with oil. Ask your grown-up helper to switch the oven to 190C

Grate the courgettes and put them in a large bowl. Grate the apple and add to the bowl. Squeeze the orange and add the juice to the bowl.

Break the egg into a bowl; if any bits of shell get in, scoop them out with a spoon. Stir the butter and egg into the courgette and apple mix.

Sieve the flour, baking powder and cinnamon into the bowl. Add the sugar and sultanas.

Mix with a spoon until everything is combined, but don't worry if it is lumpy.

Spoon the mixture into the tin. Ask your helper to put it in the oven and cook for 20-25 mins. Cool in the tin, then spread some icing on each.

Miso Glazed Tuna and Greens

I found bags of spring greens and cavolo nero reduced in the supermarket so bought a few to keep me going. I've never really eaten greens before but I thought I'd give it a go and this is one of the dishes I made with them. I ended up putting them in pretty much everything I cooked and they worked with everything. The combination of the greens, tuna and miso was delicious.



Miso Glazed Tuna and Greens (adapted from www.epicurious.com)
(Serves 4)

1 cup white miso (also called shiro miso)
1/2 cup mirin
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 pounds tuna steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
mix of cabbage, spring greens and cavolo nero

Heat miso, mirin, sugar, and water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and whisk in mayonnaise, then cool to room temperature.

Put tuna in a sealable bag (or nonreactive shallow dish). Pour marinade over tuna and marinate, chilled, at least 1 hour.

Heat oil in a frying pan and add the tuna cubes. Stir fry for about 2 mins. Add in the greens and stir until just wilted. Serve with rice or just by itself.