Interviewer: Can you tell us about your latest dish that highlights fresh produce?
Meera Sodha: Absolutely! This dish is a wonderfully juicy, savory, and sticky creation that’s perfect for dipping with a nice piece of bread. It was inspired by the abundance of courgettes I had on hand. I’m also drawing from a recipe by Nigel Slater that I used to make for friends—it’s a chicken dish loaded with garlic, herbs, and wine. While I don’t eat chicken much anymore, I still craved that deep, caramelized garlic flavor and juicy texture, which prompted me to reimagine that classic in this recipe.
Interviewer: That sounds delicious! What are the standout ingredients for this dish?
Meera Sodha: One ingredient I can’t stress enough is the Bold Bean Co’s queen butter beans. They’re a bit more expensive than other brands, but they’re incredibly soft and lovely, taking this dish to another level.
Interviewer: Great! Can you walk us through the preparation and cooking process?
Meera Sodha: Sure! It takes about 10 minutes to prep and 35 minutes to cook, serving around four as a light dinner. Start with two medium courgettes—cut them in half lengthwise and then into irregular, bite-sized pieces. Heat two tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When it’s really hot, add the courgettes in batches and fry them until they’re golden brown, which should take about eight minutes. After that, sprinkle with fine sea salt and transfer them to a plate.
Next, in the same pan, add four more tablespoons of oil over medium heat and stir-fry six crushed garlic cloves until they’re sticky and golden. Then, add 150ml of white wine and stir in two tablespoons of white miso until it’s lump-free. Let that bubble for a few minutes before adding one tin of undrained butter beans. Drain the second tin, adding only the beans to the pan and leaving the water behind. Allow everything to simmer for about 10 minutes, adding a bit of the reserved bean water if needed to loosen it up. Finally, stir in the fried courgettes, along with the juice and zest of one lemon.
Interviewer: Sounds delightful! How do you suggest serving it?
Meera Sodha: Just sprinkle some chopped parsley and mint on top and serve it immediately with a fresh baguette. It’s a perfect way to enjoy that rich flavor and hearty texture!
Interviewer: Thank you for sharing this recipe, Meera! It sounds like a fantastic dish to enjoy.
