Chilli beef turns a summer vegetable glut into a delicious dinner

Each summer, enthusiastic smallholders and kitchen gardeners are left with a glut of courgettes. They thrive with very little attention and seem to produce incredible amounts of squash. All too often the courgette is associated with ratatouille, but they’re incredibly versatile. Courgettes can be grated raw and served with pasta and a little crème fraîche, sliced and used to top a pizza, added to caponata, and grated in fritters.

Stuffed courgettes made a regular appearance on the dinner table when I was growing up, as my parents grew vegetables and raised pigs and an assortment of poultry to feed their growing family. And I’m thankful, because this dish is really delicious and has made me see this gourd in a new light.

This recipe is perfect for medium to large courgettes, also known as marrows, that have been left to grow for a little too long. Often the inside flesh becomes watery and the seeds bitter, so this method of cooking it is ideal. Simply halve and roast the courgette, scoop out the bitter flesh and discard, then fill with this deliciously spicy chocolate laced mixture. It all works extremely well together. The courgette shell is not only a vehicle for the rich mixture, it tastes amazing and has a fantastic texture which goes really well with the chilli.

I always add a little dark chocolate to stews and chillies. It adds a glossy smooth texture and a thick chocolatey richness that is amazing with fresh lime juice and coriander.

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Recipe: Chilli beef and chocolate stuffed courgettes

Lilly’s Kitchen Tips

1. Use courgette in carrot or chocolate cakes, just grate it raw into the batter. It also works really well in apple crumbles. Add plenty of cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice to create that apple pie flavour.
2. If you don’t have a good quality dark chocolate for this recipe then use two teaspoons of cocoa powder.
3. Make double the amount of this chilli beef. It freezes really well and is delicious during colder months. Use to fill baked potatoes, serve over tortilla chips or use to fill burritos.