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Summer is not quite over yet, and that means an abundance of fresh produce awaits to be harvested and enjoyed. Today, it’s all about courgettes (aka zucchinis).
Join me in my kitchen at Le Papillon for the premiere episode of Season 5 of the cooking show. I am excited to be back in this space with you, one of my happy places in my home (of which, admittedly, there are many☺️), a place I spend oh so much time in and thoroughly enjoy playing with different recipes, ingredients and ideas as they catch my curiosity.
Today’s recipe is incredibly simple and full of seasonal flavor brought by the fresh herbs, subtle warmth of the fennel and of course, the versatility of the courgette.
What are we making? Grilled Courgettes with Yogurt, Dill, Mint and Chèvre (goat’s cheese). I enjoy this dish as an entrée all on its own, but it can also be enjoyed as a salad or side dish to accompany fish, lamb, or hey, grilled hamburgers! And. yes, do not hesitate to transfer this recipe to your barbecue in your outdoor kitchen as it is for you to enjoy where you most feel comfortable grilling. I grill inside on my stovetop, and you can also simply use a large skillet to cook the courgettes, or even roast them in your oven for 17-20 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit to achieve a similar flavor profile.
Let’s dive in to the first recipe of the season, shall we? Thank you for joining me. 🙂
~NOTE to readers who cannot see a video below: Be sure to turn off your ad-blocker if you use one as you will not be able to see a video at all if the ad-blocker is in use. Once you turn off your ad-blocker, you will need to restart your device to view the video.
Links shared during the episode:
~Cook & Share! I would love to share your Simply Luxurious Kitchen inspired experiences from your kitchen. Tag me on Instagram with @thesimplyluxuriouslife #tslkitchen (or directly tag @tsllcookingshow) and your post could appear on my Instagram feed as well as on a future Show Notes post (see readers’ pics below). Many readers have already shared their meals inspired by recipes from TSLKitchen. Check out TSLL’s IG Story Highlights – titled, Viewers’ Recipes. Below are a few readers that have shared recipes and pics that caught their eye (and tastebuds ?) since last season concluded. Thank you to everyone who has shared!
Toni recently made Peach Tart with a Twist! (of lime, that is!)
Janet captured her Rustic Apple Galette, a recipe shared last fall on the blog!
Jane’s Oregon Chocolate Chip Cookie is making my mouth water! One of my favorite recipes shared on the blog and the cookie I send home with my dinner guests after an evening of dining, drinking and catching up! Here is the link.
Digital Cookbooks for Each Season of the Show are available. If you are looking for all of the recipes for each previous season in one easy to find place without having to click through each episode for each season, I now have available a Digital Cookbook for Seasons 1, 2, 3, & 4 ($8). Shop here. (Note: All TOP Tier Members/Subscribers can download these cookbooks for free.) Season 5’s cookbook will be available at the end of this season (end of October).
Grilled Courgettes with Yogurt, Mint, Dill and Chèvre
Ingredients
- 2 whole courgettes (zucchinis)
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- fleur de sel
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- pinch red chili flakes optional
- 1 lemon zest of the lemon goes into the marinade, the juice is reserved to dress the salad when finished and ready to serve.
- 3 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped
- 6 fronds fresh dill, chopped
- 2 Tbsp chives, fresh, chopped
- 2 Tbsp whole milk yogurt, greek, plain (but full fat – for the flavor!)
- 50 grams chèvre (goat cheese)
- 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the courgettes by slicing them into long, flat ribbons after topping off the end and bottom. There is no need to peel the courgettes; in fact, the peel adds to the layers of flavor. The thinner the ribbon, the less cooking time will be necessary on the grill. The choice of thickness is up to you.
- Turn on your grill to medium heat. While the grill is warming up, make the marinade for the courgettes in a small-medium mixing bowl.
- Make the marinade: olive oil, fennel seeds, salt and pepper, lemon zest (red pepper flakes – optional). Toss to combine.
- Add the sliced courgettes into the marinade and toss so all are covered and dressed with the flavors of the marinade. You can do this ahead of time, and set aside until you are ready to grill, or you can grill immediately. The flavor will be there either way.
- At the grill: drizzle a couple tablespoons of olive oil on the grill. Place the ribbons on the hot grill (medium heat), two rounds may be necessary. Grill for 8-12 minutes on each side dependent on the width of your ribbons. Use tongs to flip the ribbons and see the lovely charred marks on the first side when you flip – wahoo! When finished, place the grilled courgettes on the platter you will be using for serving.
- While the courgettes are grilling, make the yogurt dressing in a small mixing bowl. Mix the three chopped fresh herbs (mint, dill, chives), garlic, yogurt, and chèvre. Set aside 1 tsp of each of the three herbs to sprinkle on top of the entire salad prior to serving.
- Now it's time to assemble the salad. Squeeze the fresh lemon juice over the salad, then add dollops of the yogurt dressing over the grilled courgettes. Finally, sprinkle the left-over freshly chopped herbs, and you are ready to enjoy! Pair with a crisp glass of white wine or rosé, and you have a meal read to be savored. 🙂
~View more episodes of The Simply Luxurious Kitchen here.
Looks yummy! I definitely will try this one.
Thank you for watching the first episode of the season Laura ☺️
Shannon, we always have so many courgettes to deal with at summer’s end. This is a lovely recipe that can be incorporated and adapted to enjoy the harvest,(whether from your garden or in the markets), as you said. ;Love this, looking forward to the season’s posts. xo
Thank you for viewing this first episode Rona. ? Yes, courgette recipes always catch my eye as I love eating them and they seem to frequently be in abundance. ☺️
That looks yummy. Shannon, I’ll have to try it.
Nicola, I do hope you enjoy! ☺️
Congratulations, Shannon, on Season 5 of the cooking show and a big Happy Birthday to Norman!! ?
I wasn’t able to begin my Saturday with you in the kitchen, but this morning, the first thing I did was pour a Cuppa and tune in. I’m delighted and excited for this new season inspired by your recent trip to France. Today’s recipe was so simple, yet it looked so incredibly delectable! I find that zucchini can sometimes be an under rated vegetable, so thank you for sharing this recipe. Wishing you a wonderful week ahead! ?
Dear Shannon, you are a natural in the kitchen! At the peak of the courgette season, I am always in search of new ways to prepare one of my favorite vegetables. So versatile, one can use them as a base for many dishes but this type of preparation permits the lowly zucchini to shine. In the market the other day I saw a yellow and green combination squash I had never seen before. The outer skin looked like a watercolor painting. The grocer told me it is a hybrid, with fewer seeds but a thicker skin. I passed and returned to my standby but I think I will go back to give it a try. And that, for me, is the magic of the kitchen. Trying new recipes, attempting to replicate a favorite bistro dish while sipping a cup of tea or a glass of wine, music in the background. Your offering this week does interest me, however, I may substitute the mint. Many years ago a few plants made their way into my garden as a gift from a family member. Since then I have been pulling and moving them to steep banks that surround the property. They are soooooo prolific, I need to hire cutters, once a month, to trim them. Soon, my entire acreage will be mint! I have delicate lemon basil in the raised bed that needs a purpose, I believe I found it, thank you. A wonderful beginning to the new season, congratulations and thank you.
Happy Birthday Norman! This dish looks mouthwatering. I like a little heat so the chili flakes sound delightful. I think it will make a nice side for salmon or even chicken. Looking forward to many more delicious recipes this season!
Delicious, I am sure! 🙂
After a long-ish retreat in summer (without reliable internet connection), I am delighted to be back right on time for the Cooking Show. Yes, yummy, looking forward to all the recipes to come – and to catch up with all the summer posts.
Thanks, Shannon. Happy Birthday to Norman!
🙂
Welcome back Isabel. 🙂
Yum! I will definitely be trying this, I love grilled courgettes, and I love mint yogurt – putting them together I never thought of. Like you I love the combination of warm food with a cold dressing so it’s right up my street.
Congratulations on the start of a new season, I can’t wait to discover what recipes you’ll introduce us too and which ones will sit firmly in my cooking repertoire (hello hamburger and butter crust pizza!)
It’s also so nice to watch you enjoy the kitchen and cooking – loved the little happy food boogie at the end.
I hope Norman had a lovely birthday weekend, Waffle sends his best ☺️
Sarah
Thank you Sarah. ☺️ I will extend Waffle’s birthday wishes to Norman. ☺️