Takkakh Rubu

Recipe ©copyright Julie Le Clerc, from Taking Tea in the Medina cookbook (Penguin Books NZ)

Serves 6

Lebanese call this dish, tabbakh rubu, which means ‘the spirit of the cook’. It is true that mint and courgette makes for a lively combination. Lebanese courgettes are very pale in colour and appear to be almost seedless. They may look insipid in comparison to the darker variety of courgette but they have a wonderfully delicate, sweet flavour.

INGREDIENTS:
750g small courgettes, trimmed
3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon dried mint
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 200°C. Thickly slice courgettes on the diagonal and place in a bowl.
Pound garlic, mint and a little salt in a mortar and pestle or food processor to form a smooth paste, then blend in oil. Pour this mixture over the courgettes, season with salt and pepper and toss well.
Transfer courgettes to a casserole dish and bake for 40–45 minutes, tossing once during cooking, until tender and lightly golden brown.