Courgette Nests with Sun-dried Tomato & Sesame

Courgette Nests with Sun-dried Tomato & Sesame

We’ve just finished watching all of the TV series ‘Hannibal’ and it really makes you want to cook (In almost every episode there is a dinner scene of a very fine dining nature - admittedly very non vegetarian but it's the idea of fine dining nonetheless). So we decided with all these urges to cook to go all out on a fancy meal. This is the starter in our dinner (Cashew & Tomato Savoury Strudel main, Lemon Macaroon Cream Pie dessert).

Ingredients:

1 courgette

4-5 sundried tomatoes

1/3 cup toasted sesame oil

1/4- 1/3 cup sesame seeds

(cocktail sticks)

Preheat oven to 180°

1. Cut the courgette into fine slivers. The best way to do this is with a potato peeler – preferably a wide one. Chop up the sundried tomato.

2. Mix sesame oil and sesame seeds together in a little container. Once done, dip a courgette sliver in and then wrap in a circular fashion. While wrapping, add a bit of sundried tomato in. Around the first sliver wrap another (first dipping it in the sesame mix) until desired thickness (I used about 3-4 slivers per nest). To hold it together, insert a cocktail stick at the base. 

I found that once I had this done, I inserted a tiny rolled bit of courgette sliver in the centre now that it held together.

3. Put in oven for about 10-20mins or until lightly browned. 

Such a lovely easy but pretty starter!

With some Chianti (but no fava beans admittedly) of course.