Stuffed Courgette

When I put my Monthly Menus together I have created recipes which help celebrate different food holidays or what fruit and vegetables I need to harvest from my small kitchen garden. I very rarely have a recipe waiting in the wings!

Even though I have had courgettes coming out of my ears I didn't get round to stuffing one until earlier this week. As usual it was a case of sitting in front of the fridge deciding on what needed eating up first to create the stuffing mixture.

I had a packet of Cauldron Falafels that were fast approaching their use by date, which I'd picked up with the intention of speedy work lunches but never got round to using them. So they needed to be the main ingredient in the stuffing. After scanning the fridge I also picked out a few ingredients that also needed eating up and this is what I came up with.

Ingredients - Serves 2 on their own or 4 as a side
2 Courgettes
1 red pepper
4 Celery sticks
1 large onion
6 mushrooms200g Falafels
1 Tsp Dried parsley
1 Tsp Garlic salt
1 Tsp Vegan Worcestershire sauce

To serve
Cooked spaghetti
Handfull Fresh basil, shredded
1 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil

Method

Finely dice the onion, red pepper and celery sticks.

Cut the courgettes length ways and scoop out the seeds. Put the two halves for each courgette back together and wrap in silver foil. Place in a moderate oven while you make the stuffing.

Fry the onion in a a little olive oil until translucent, add the red pepper and celery and saute for another 2 minutes.

Dice the mushrooms and add to the pan and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the mushrooms have released their liquid.

Crumble the falafels into the pan and give everything a good stir to combine all the ingredients.

Add the parsley, garlic salt and Worcestershire sauce and give everything another good stir.

Remove the courgettes from the oven and unwrap, careful they will be hot! Spoon the stuffing mixture into the courgette troughs and pat down so the mixture is compact. Return to the oven on a baking tray for another 15 minutes or until the courgettes are cooked.

To serve toss the spaghetti in the extra virgin olive oil and shredded basil and sit the courgette halves on top.