GRILLED COURGETTES (BABY MARROW) WITH WARM YOGHURT AND SAFFRON BUTTER

I have always loved Yotam Ottolenghi, I love him even more now! A few friends joined me for lunch today and I made this recipe.  It is DELICIOUS, I actually licked the dish afterwards.  IMHO saffron is the must overrated spice.  I just don't get it.  It is ridiculously expensive and to me, no taste at all.  I would definitely use turmeric next time.  I had just bought a punnet of mixed marrows which consisted of baby marrow, yellow patty pans and baby gems.  It worked perfectly.

This dish is inspired by kousa b’laban, a Middle Eastern dish of stuffed baby marrow cooked in yoghurt sauce. This simplified version involves serving the warm sauce and grilled courgettes separately, with a quick saffron butter to spoon on top. If you don’t have saffron, a pinch of turmeric will do. Serve as a starter, or as a side for grilled meat or fish.

Ingredients

* 30g unsalted butter
* ¼ tsp saffron threads, roughly crushed
*  4 baby marrows or 4 small courgettes, tops trimmed slightly, then halved lengthways (600g net weight)
* 2½ tbsp olive oil
* Salt and black pepper
* 1 tsp cornflour
* 300g Greek-style yoghurt
* 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
* ½ tsp dried mint
* ¾ tsp coriander seeds, toasted and roughly crushed in a mortar
* 1½ tbsp picked mint leaves
* ½ lemon

Heat the grill to a high setting. Put the butter and saffron in a small saucepan, melt on a medium heat, then set aside to infuse while you get on with everything else.

Put the marrow or courgettes on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper, add two tablespoons of oil, a third of a teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper, and toss to combine. Arrange cut side up on the tray, then grill for 15-20 minutes, until nicely charred and softened.

Towards the last 10 minutes of the grilling time, make the sauce. In a large bowl, whisk the cornflour and three tablespoons of water until smooth, then add the yoghurt, garlic, dried mint, remaining half-tablespoon of oil and a half-teaspoon of salt. Whisk to combine, then transfer to a large, non-stick sauté pan on a medium heat. Cook, stirring continuously, for about 10 minutes, or until thickened slightly and warmed through. Do not let it boil, or it will split.

Transfer the warm yoghurt sauce to a plate with a lip and top with the courgettes, arranging them grilled side up. Spoon over the saffron butter, then sprinkle with the coriander seeds and mint leaves. Squeeze over the lemon half and serve right away.

So, so good!!  

Correction - should read HERB TAHINI SAUCE.

I still can't work out how to edit this thing after so many years!!!