British courgettes start showing up when the days get warmer and they stay around for most of the summer. I cooked this on a hot and heavy day early last year, at a supper club, and it’s now a meal I regularly dream of. The sweetness of the charred courgettes paired with the cool, calm and creamy mozzarella and the verdant hit from the lovage is pure joy. It was the brainchild of the brilliant Robbin Holmgren, the head chef at Fifteen London. I am sure his version is much fancier, but this is how I do it at home. The lovage oil is the crowning glory and simpler than you might think, though a good pesto would work too. Any leftover oil can be kept in a jar in the fridge for a few weeks. A mixture of parsley and celery leaves will also work.
First, make the lovage oil. Fill a bowl with boiling water. Plunge the lovage into it, scoop out immediately and immerse in a bowl of cold water to cool. Then pat dry with kitchen paper. This keeps the lovage green.
Put the lovage in a food processor or blender, add the extra-virgin olive oil and a small pinch of salt, then blend until really smooth. Sieve the oil to get rid of any big bits of herb, then transfer to a jar and set aside.
Next, heat your barbecue (or griddle pan) until it’s smoking hot. While it heats up, cut your courgettes – bigger ones into rounds and smaller ones into long slices. Once the griddle is hot, char your courgettes on both sides until nicely charred and softened a little in the middle.
Serve the charred courgettes on a platter next to the burrata torn open, finished with a good pinch of sea salt and a grinding of black pepper, and a good drizzle of the lovage oil.
An essential addition to every cook’s bookshelf, The Modern Cook’s Year will show you how to make the most of seasonal produce, using simple, hugely inventive flavours and ingredients. Divided into six seasons, the cookbook contains over 200 delicious vegetarian recipes interspersed with tips on everything from seasonal music playlists to flowers to look out for in each month of the year.
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