“A simple courgette sauce is so simple but worthy of gracing any table. My dad always sautés them with garlic, sometimes a hint of chilli, but always in copious amounts of good olive oil. The smell of courgettes frying still reminds me of summers as a child messing about outside in the sun whilst dinner was being cooked. The garlic was crushed, and finely chopped, sometimes grown at home or brought back from holidays in the Dordogne. I was so lucky as a child to visit village markets in France, seeing fresh vegetables, peaches, goat’s cheeses and mushrooms. Back then I had never seen any in Britain, but now we have markets in most towns at weekends. What great progress.”

Serves 4 as a side dish
Prep time: 10 minutes; Cooking time: 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 large or 2 smaller courgettes, cut on the slant
A handful of mixed garden radishes, red and white, quartered
2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
A few thyme leaves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon curly parsley, chopped
1 lemon, juiced
Good salt and pepper
50ml good extra-virgin olive oil
A splash of water

METHOD

Get your favourite frying pan on the hob and bring it to a medium heat. Add the oil and courgettes then season with salt and pepper. Sauté for a few minutes until the they start to colour, then add the sliced garlic, radishes, thyme, lemon zest and a splash of water to stop the garlic from burning.

Give it a good stir then add the juice of the lemon. The courgettes should be just cooked and not too mushy but the radishes should have a crunch. Finish with a tablespoon of chopped curly parsley, give a final mix, then serve in side dishes.