Herby Zucchini and Peas with Semolina Porridge | Ottolenghi’s “Simple”

In lockdown, nights roll into mornings, mornings into days, and days upon days with no defined schedules or boundaries. Likewise, it seems to me our appetite for breakfast, lunch or dinner has also become amorphous. Do you notice that? This dish, herby zucchini and peas with semolina porridge, by and large echos the uncertainties of life on a rolling reset.

When you have all the ingredients in one form or another in the pantry, freezer and garden, you are all set to go. Squash of any kind is easy to keep around in the pantry. Always, there is the big bag of green peas in the freezer, ready to add to a soup or to turn into a standalone side. At the same time, I notice the herb garden is springing to life after the recent rain. Given the availability of these vegetables, all you need is a comforting base to complete the plate.

In the deep recess of my freezer, I’ve found some semolina, enough to make do. The semolina porridge is like a runny polenta, only a little creamier. You can substitute it with rice or mashed potato, if you like.

Besides the promise of comfort, I’m tickled pink to smell the herbaceous note of fresh oregano and chives (no basil or tarragon in my garden) and lemon zest. The lightly roasted pine nuts, a deft touch by Ottolenghi, add the delicious crunch. It’s hard to imagine a simple dish like a herby zucchini porridge can pack so much flavor — together with a small dose of gratification. But I can imagine returning to it time and again in the daily life of the new normal.

Print Recipe

Herby Zucchini and Peas with Semolina Porridge

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 50g unsalted butter
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
• 6 (9 cups/ 1/2 kg) large zucchini, trimmed, cut in half lengthwise, then thinly sliced widthways
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 2/3 cup/ 200g frozen peas, defrosted
• 25g basil leaves, roughly shredded
• 15g tarragon leaves
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp/ 50g pine nuts, lightly toasted
• 1 tbsp olive oil, to serve
• FOR THE SEMOLINA PORRIDGE:
• 2 1/2 cup/ 600 ml whole milk
• 2 1/2 cup/ 600 ml water
• 1 cup plus 2 tbsp/ 180g semolina
• 3 1/2 oz/ 100g pecorino, finely shaved

Instructions

1

Put the butter in a large saute pan for which you have a lid, and put it on a medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted, add the garlic and fry for a minute or two, until it starts to brown.

2

Add the courgettes, three-quarters of a teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper, and cook for five minutes, stirring often, until the courgettes start to soften. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and leave to cook for five minutes. Stir in the peas and warm through for a minute, until the peas are cooked, then take off the heat, stir in the herbs and lemon zest, and set aside while you make the porridge.

3

Put the milk and 600ml water in a medium saucepan, and add three-quarters of a teaspoon of salt and a generous grind of pepper. Bring to a boil on a medium-high heat, then add the semolina and whisk continuously for three to four minutes, until smooth and thick, like porridge. Turn off the heat and stir in 80g of the pecorino.

4

Divide the porridge between shallow bowls and top with the courgettes and peas. Finish with the pine nuts, a sprinkling of the remaining pecorino and a drizzle of oil.of

Notes

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/jun/23/yotam-ottolenghi-courgette-recipes