Perfectly Plated

It’s Courgette Season!

Hello, Hello All!

It’s finally courgette (zucchini) season and I for one couldn’t be any more excited. If you’ve followed me even a little bit these past ten years, then you know these are one of my favorite veggies to cook with in the summer. I found this recipe on Insta by @juliusroberts. He made me immediately make this. Go check him out! He’s amazing.

I am absolutely infamous for making a massive mess in the kitchen no matter what I make. I can’t help it, I inherited it from my Mother. Sorry Mom, can’t say it isn’t true. Having said that, this recipe was so easy that I didn’t even make a big mess in my kitchen! * bows *

This recipe is absolutely perfect to throw together when hosting, or for an evening on the patio. With only a few ingredients you have a beautiful and delicious summer dish.

Let’s make a Courgette Tart!

what you need:

  • puff pastry

  • 1/2 lemon, juiced plus lemon zest

  • 1 cup ricotta cheese

  • salt & pepper

  • green and yellow courgette

  • fresh basil

Before we get started, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Then, with a vegetable peeler slice your courgettes into ribbons. Toss in a bowl with olive oil and flakey salt.

Score the puff pastry to create an edge.

Mix ricotta, lemon juice, zest, handful of fresh basil, salt, and pepper. Then spread over pastry.

Layer the beautiful ribbons.

Slice up some garlic and place sporadically.

Add another layer to protect the garlic.

Sprinkle some parmesan and fold over the edges.

Bake this for about 20-25 minutes but keep an eye on it. You want the edges to get golden brown.

This lite summer dish is so perfect for entertaining, and it doesn’t hurt to add a little champagne with it. Just saying…

I hope you’re enjoying this first full week of summer!

Summer Is Coming…

Hello! Look at us! We’ve made it half way through the week!

Not that I’m trying to rush spring or anything but if you know me even a little then you know that I absolutely love to really lean in to seasonal cooking and this very easy recipe screams warm weather and sunshine!

One of the best things about this delicious recipe is that you can really use whatever you have on hand. Also, there is no true amount to anything either it just depends on how many you’re planning to feed.

what you do:

So, I didn’t use an exact measurement with any of this because you have to do that with your heart. Use as much or as little as you’d like. Simply add cooked couscous to a serving dish, add sautéed veggies, then seafood of choice. Top with fresh basil and a sprinkle of goat cheese.

I have many, but possibly my favorite thing about this dish is how balanced it is. You’ve got your grain, vegetables, protein, and just a touch of dairy. It’s pretty easy on the eyes, too.

I use a lot of fresh basil but for this dish in particular, I think using it really amps up the flavor and brings out the ingrediencies in the best way possible.

For the scallops: Pat dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a pan and sear on each side for about 2 minutes. They should release from the pan very easily and not stick. That’s how you know they’re done.

As a very Mediterranean eater, I can’t wait to bring you a ton more fast and fancy seafood recipes (and much more) this season!

Stir Up The Week

Hello, hello!

This post is going to be very fast and to the point just the way I like it. Allow me to share my latest obsession…. Stir Fry! A new concept? Absolutely not. But, it’s a great way to eat healthy throughout the week and not cause a huge mess or take up a lot of time. I didn’t even get out my Wok for this one. So, let’s make…..

Bok Choy and Mushroom Stir Fry

what you need:

  • One bunch of baby Bok Choy

  • Mushrooms (I used a variety)

  • A pepper of your choosing, I used a few mini red ones

  • sauce and slurry (see below)

  • 3-4 garlic cloves, minced

  • 2 green onions, sliced

  • 1/2 white onion, cut into bigger pieces

For the slurry:

  • 1 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot

  • 2 tbsp water

    (what’s a slurry? Simply mix these two together to thicken a sauce or certain dish.)

For the sauce:

  • 2 tbsp water

  • 2 tbsp soy sauce

  • 1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce

  • 1 tsp sugar

  • 1/2 sesame oil

what you do:

  • Mix the sauce ingredients together and in a separate bowl, the slurry.

  • Trim the bottoms of the Boy Choy and cut in half. Then, throw some water in a pan or Wok maybe around 1/4-1/2 cup of water and bring to a boil. Add them to the water and allow them to steam for around 60 seconds. Then set aside.

  • Add oil to the pan and add your mushrooms and peppers. After they are nice and cooked make some room in the pan and add in your garlic and onions.

  • Next, pour in the sauce and stir, then add the slurry.

  • Put your Bok Choy back in, give it a good stir and enjoy!

I was hiding from carbs when I made this, so I didn’t add anything else to the dish but if you wanted a heartier meal, you can serve this over rice or rice noodles.

As always, thank you for stopping by! Have the best Thursday!