Lets be having some ideas then

[Dakaras]

Ok peeps

Looking for variations on the classic crumbles for

Rubarb
Gooseberries
Cultivated Blackberries (was thinking Jellies here)

Also ideas for courgettes

Feel free to be original but not expensive

[Zak33]

Courgette Souffle (sp?)

Fool (sp?) is bleedin obvious.....lots of cream mate for Goose and Rhub

Courgette really need ot be on a kebab with chicken or beef, and tomato and then olive oiled and a grind of pepper.

[Nick]

Try these for starters....

Bramley Apple and Rhubarb Charlotte

Serves: 6
Prep time: 30 mins
Cooking time: 40mins

Ingredients
8 slices of bread from a crusty loaf, crusts removed
75g butter
3 tbsp icing sugar
450g Bramley apples, peeled, cored and cubed
250g rhubarb, cut into 2cm pieces
1 lemon, zested and juiced
½ tsp ground cinnamon
3 tbsp caster sugar
50g breadcrumbs

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C, 400° F, Gas Mark 6.

Lightly butter a 1.2 litre ovenproof pudding basin.

Preheat the grill to a moderate heat.

Using 50g of the butter, spread evenly on both sides of the bread, then lightly dust one side with icing sugar. Toast the sugared side under the grill until golden brown.

Line the bottom and sides of the pudding basin, ensuring that the toasted side is on the outside and that the slices overlap. Reserve enough bread to make a top.

Put the remaining butter in a saucepan along with the apple, rhubarb, lemon juice and zest. Add the cinnamon and cook over a low heat until softened. DO NOT BOIL.

When the mixture is softened stir in the sugar and breadcrumbs. Spoon into the bread lined basin. Cover with the remaining bread.

Place in a roasting tin 2/3 full of hot water. Transfer to the oven and cook for 30-40 minutes.

Once cooked loosen the basin edge with a knife and turn onto a serving dish. Serve immmediately.


Rhubarb & Orange Cobbler

Serves: 4
Prep time: 15mins
Cooking time: 30 mins

Ingredients

For the filling
250g rhubarb, trimmed
3 medium size oranges
50g sultanas
50g demerara sugar
¼ tsp ground nutmeg

For the cobbler
250g wholemeal flour
½ tsp salt
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
50g butter or vegetable margarine
50g sultanas
125ml water
50g demerara sugar

Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C, 400°F, Gas Mark 6.

Chop the rhubarb and remove any stringy lengths. Cut the rind and pith from the oranges, cut the flesh into quarters lengthways, and thinly slice these.

Mix the rhubarb, oranges, sultanas, sugar and nutmeg then place into a large ovenproof dish such as a pie dish.

To make the topping, put the flour into a bowl with the salt, bicarbonate of soda and nutmeg and rub in the butter or margarine. Toss in the sugar and sultanas with your fingertips. Make a well in the centre and pour in the water. Mix to a dough.

Divide the dough into eight pieces and form each one into a flattened round. Place the dough rounds on top of the fruit. Bake the cobbler for 30 minutes or until the top has browned.

[Nick]

And some goosegog ones....

Gooseberry Crunch

Serves: 6
Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 15mins

Ingredients
125g gingernut biscuits, crushed
40g butter, melted
500g gooseberries, washed and husked removed
1 tbsp water
125g caster sugar
300ml double cream, whipped

Method
Mix together the crushed biscuits and melted butter and allow to cool.

Place the gooseberries and water in a pan, cover and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes, until soft.

Stir in the sugar, then puree until smooth. Leave to cool.

Fold the cream into the gooseberry puree and spoon half the mixture into the base of 6 individual glass dishes or 1 large serving dish.

Top with half the biscuit mixture. Repeat to make a few layers.

Chill and serve.


Gooseberry Fool

Serves: 4
Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time : 30 mins + chilling

Ingredients
500g gooseberries washed and husks removed
150g caster sugar
300ml whipping cream
25g crystallised ginger, finely chopped

Method

Place the gooseberries and sugar in a saucepan along with 2-3 large spoons water. Bring to the boil over a moderate heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until softened.

Remove from the heat and puree in a blender until smooth, then allow to cool.

Lightly whip the cream until soft peaks form, then fold in the gooseberry mixture and finely chopped ginger. Transfer to individual serving dishes and chill thoroughly before serving.

[Nick]

Or how about these.....

Chunky Courgette Soup

Serves: 4
Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients
3 medium size potatoes
2 leeks
600ml stock
2 celery sticks, chopped finely
4 medium size courgettes
50g Cheddar cheese, grated (optional)
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Peel the potatoes and wash the leeks.

Chop them and cook in the well seasoned stock with the celery until they are tender.

Liquidise until smooth, then strain through a sieve into a clean pan.

Bring back to a gentle simmer over a low heat, stirring occasionally.

Cut the courgettes in half lengthways and then cut across into chunks.

Simmer in the puree until cooked through but still crisp.

Stir in the cheese, if using and heat through until it melts.

Season to taste and serve.


Bacon, Courgette and Red Pepper Frittata

Serves: 4
Prep time: 10mins
Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
250g unsmoked back bacon, diced
2 medium courgettes, sliced
1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced
1 bunch salad onions, sliced
6 medium size eggs
2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, for 5-6 minutes, until golden brown.

Add the courgettes, pepper and salad onions and cook for a further 3-4 minutes.

Break the eggs into a jug and beat together with the parsley and seasoning.

Pour the egg mixture into the pan and cook, over a medium heat, for 5-6 minutes, until the underside is golden.

Place the pan under a preheated hot grill for a further 3-4 minutes, until the frittata has set and the top is golden.

Transfer to a warmed plate and serve immediately with a crisp green salad.

[Zak33]

The Courgette Soup sounds superb....except its the hottest day of the year

How about making a Spanish style cold soup. The stunning thing about Courgettes is your ability to choose the depth of colour and taste by varying the amount of the soft pithy centre in the dish.....SO if theres LOTS of courgettes I'd core them....quarter then lengthwise, then into 8ths'...

then run a knife along the length to rid most of the white.....

use the green skins to make a soup, then use a monster blender to smooth it...

then chill...then serve ICE COLD, with a whirl of sour cream in the centre....

god that sounds nice and I just invented it....

Lets think....right....small amount of onion...sweated off in olive oil. Chop the courgette roughly into 1cm bits (the green bits) and sweat off 3/4 OF IT with those onions....splash of white vino, allow to evaporate, then some vegetable stock.....simmer until courgette is cooked soft.

Then blend with the other 1/4 of uncooked courgette, to get some fresh sharp real depth....really blend.....smooth...

then chill. Mammoth grind of black pepper JUST as you serve, maybe a crouton of 4, and a swirl of soured cream.

HEAVEN ...wish I was in my kitchen now

[Dakaras]

Cheers chaps you guys are great...Ended up putting a shed up all day so only got to the allotment to water and cut the courgettes so others gotta wait till tomorrow PM

[Ceefer]

For courgettes this salad is one of the tastiest I've eaten in years. Its not my recipe, its from that gobby Jamie Oliver's Naked Chef book. I can't stand him but I must admit he's got some good ideas. This is from memory as I don't have the book in front of me but I've made it four times now so I think its correct:

Cut 4 courgettes into VERY thin slices lengthways.
Heat a big frying pan until very, very hot and dry-fry the courgette slices in batches until they're softened and a bit charred. Transfer to a platter or large bowl as they're cooked.
Chop a couple of large red chillies finely and scatter over the courgettes. Do the same with a couple of cloves of garlic. Glug plenty of good quality olive oil over the lot and the juice of half a lemon. Scatter a good handful of torn up mint leaves over the plate. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
You can serve it warm or cold, it doesn't matter. I like to put the chopped chillies and garlic in the olive oil before I start cooking the courgettes, as it gives the flavours a chance to develop.