Sumac Spiced Courgette Dip

It’s virtually impossible to grow courgettes without getting a glut? They grow so very easily and rapidly and virtually pest free. So what to do with them?

Well I wanted to share this recipe with you as although it’s not the prettiest dish, it’s packed full of flavour and utilises a fair amount of the fast growing vegetable. Not only that it’s a great standby vegan starter that everyone loves.

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Sumac Spiced Courgette Dip

Prep Time25 minutes mins

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Course: Starter/Lunch

Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

• 600 g courgettes
• Sea salt and pepper
• 1 tsp sumac extra for sprinkling on the finished dip
• 1 ½ tsp cumin seeds
• 100 ml Extra Virgin Olive oil extra to drizzle on the finished dip possible
• 3 cloves garlic peeled and left whole
• 1 small bunch flat leaf parsley chopped
• 20 oregano leaves chop 10 leaves
• Aleppo pepper or 1 small fresh red chilli chopped
• ½ lemon

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 200C fan/Gas 6
• Begin by washing the courgettes then cutting into approximately 1.5cm dice. to a similar size so they cook evenly. Place the courgettes on a lightly greased baking tray Sprinkle with sea salt, pepper, sumac and 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon onto the vegetables and place the lemon half on the tray too. After 15 minutes of cooking time toss the garlic cloves into the courgette mix and continue cooking for 25 minutes.
• Roast in the oven for 40 minutes. Once nicely browned remove from the oven and place into a shallow dish. When the lemon is cool enough to handle squeeze out any remaining juice. With a potato masher start pounding the courgettes, I prefer to do this by hand as I don’t like the dip be too smooth. Add half of the olive oil and continue to mash, you be surprised as to how much the courgettes absorb the oil. Add the rest of the oil and the chopped parsley, oregano and stir, check the seasoning, add more salt if necessary. Take the remaining cumin seeds and place into a pan and heat to toast, don’t take your eyes off them as they burn easily.
• Place the mashed courgettes on to a plate, I like to serve this dip warm so before adding the topping pop it back into the oven on 125C for 10-15 minutes. Once warmed through drizzle with a good gun of olive oil, sprinkle with the toasted cumin seeds, more sumac and Aleppo pepper or chopped red chilli. Finally scatter the remaining oregano leaves on the top.