Alissa’s Pan-Fried Courgettes with Bold Bean Mash

Recently I got to test out a gorgeous set of SAVEUR Selects stainless steel frying pans. I couldn't wait to put this gorgeous pan set to the test. And let me tell you, they did not disappoint!

After some disappointing experiences with "new" and "trendy" non-stick pans, I am now firmly convinced that nothing beats the tried-and-true quality of stainless steel. Light, elegant, and incredibly easy to use and maintain, these pans have become my go-to pans.

After making a handful of recipes in them so far this is one of my faves... Pan fried courgettes with a bean mash, topped with basil, mint, dill and toasted pine nuts. Sounds great right? If you’re growing herbs at home this is also a very economical lunch, dinner or side.

Prep time: 35 minutes
Makes: 1-2 bowls

Suggested equipment:

• Saveur Selects Tri-Ply Stainless Steel Frying Pans
• A chef's knife
• A wooden chopping board
• A wooden spoon
• A fine grater 
  
  

Ingredients:

• 1 jar of butter beans (or any other white beans of your choice)
• 1 onion, finely sliced
• 1-2 tsp of dried oregano
• 1-2 tsp of garlic powder or 1-2 fresh garlic cloves either minced or grated
• Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
• Plenty of olive oil
• Sea salt to taste
• 2-4 courgettes depending on their size, sliced
• 2-4 tbsp of pine nuts, toasted
• Fresh basil, mint, and dill for garnish
• Crusty bread for serving (Sourdough is my preference)

The Recipe: 

To begin, toast your pine nuts. This is where the smaller of the two pans is perfect. I start with the pine nuts because they’re tricky and tend to need of all your attention. Typically nothing happens for ages and then you turn away for a second and boom, they are burnt. Best to toast them pan in hand shaking frequently so they don’t catch.

For the Bean Mash:

Heat up your pan and pour in a generous glug of olive oil. Once heated, add the sliced onion and cook until it turns delightfully translucent. Sprinkle over the oregano and garlic (your choice of powder or fresh cloves), giving it all a good stir to infuse the flavours into the onions and oil.

Introduce the butter beans into the pan. Let them mingle, soaking up all the goodness. After a few minutes, when the beans have softened, gently mash some of the beans with a potato masher, the back of a fork will also work. 

Now, squeeze over the lemon juice, adding a tangy bite. Make sure to catch the lemon pips, the crunch here is much better coming from the pine nuts. 

Don't forget to season with salt to your own taste. 

For the Pan-Fried Courgettes:

Heat up your pine nut pan with a drizzle of olive oil over medium-high heat.

Introduce the courgette slices to the pan, letting them sauté until tender and have developed a caramelized colour, turn halfway to achieve this on both sides. Remove them from the pan, season with sea salt and sprinkle over the lemon zest. 

To bring it all together spoon the bean mash onto plates or a serving platter, layering the pan-fried courgettes on top. Add your freshly and roughly chopped herbs over the dish plus a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Last thing, on go your toasted (not burnt) pine nuts to finish it all off at the end. 

Serve with a good slice of sourdough. Bon App.

Bonus Toppings:

For some added indulgence, consider adding ricotta or feta on top. These creamy elements blend beautifully. Without the cheese, this recipe remains naturally vegan while still boasting a medley of flavours and textures.

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Follow me @AlissaTimoshkina one of the founders of #CookForUkraine as I explore the food and history of Eastern Europe. You can join me on for a series of supper clubs and culinary classes celebrating recipes from my Ukrainian-ashkenazi lineage and debut recipe book, Salt and Time: Recipes from a Russian Kitchen. Currently balancing living in London with my new born, I’m working to publish a new book at the end of 2024.  

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