Courgette Tostados
High summer hitting inevitably leads to a glut of courgettes, and those of us who grow them are left scrabbling for interesting ways of working our way through the piles of them. When in doubt, I personally turn the endlessly wonderful world of Mexican food. Bright and vibrant, perfect for summer evenings, but satisfyingly crunchy and fatty. Easy to scale up too, so great for group gatherings so you can really work through the courgette mountain.
Makes 8
1 onion, finely diced
4 large tomatoes, deseeded and finally diced
2 medium courgettes, sliced
2 garlic, crushed
1 chili, finely chopped
1/2 lime
Sprig of fresh epazote
Large pinch of oregano
8 flour tortillas, 10cm diameter
Oil, for frying
To serve:
Guacamole
Fresh coriander
Hot sauce
Heat a large saucepan over a low-medium heat. Add a large glug of olive oil, then gently fry the finely chopped onion, tomatoes and courgettes. Sprinkle a small pinch of salt to help draw out the moisture from the tomatoes and courgettes.
Once the onion starts going translucent and the vegetables’ liquid begins to cook off, add the garlic and chili. Continue to fry until it becomes aromatic, then add all the seasonings, the juice of the 1/2 lime, and salt and pepper to taste.
Set aside the cooked vegetables, and fill a wide pan with enough oil to submerge the tortillas. Once the oil has heated up over a medium heat, carefully add a couple of the tortillas and fry until nicely golden on both sides, flipping half way through. Place the fried tortillas on kitchen paper to drain some of the excessive oil.
To serve, smear a good sized spoonful of guacamole onto the fried tortilla followed by a hefty spoonful of the fried courgettes, tomatoes and onion. Finish with the coriander and a brave glug of hot sauce. Enjoy!