There was some hesitation before deciding to post this (it is after all a cheese sarnie) but as people are still working through their zucchini/courgette bounty it seemed the public-spirited thing to do.
Low-fat cream cheese used to be a regular sandwich filling but lately I’ve been conscious that it isn’t available in a cow friendly organic form and so I have been experimenting with organic ricotta. Cheeses are amazingly varied in their nutritional content and Ricotta is one of the lowest fat cheeses. It’s versatile too – think ricotta, berries and a drizzle of honey on sourdough for breakfast or substitute it in place of higher fat goats cheese in recipes (for example in my spaghetti with courgette, lemon and goats cheese, the pasta twin of this sandwich). If you fancy reading more about why all cheeses are not equal, the Good Cheese Guide from the dietitians at Hillingdon Hospital and Does cheese have any nutritional benefit? from Kathryn over at Limes and Lycopene both do a fine job.
This sandwich is a breeze to make (I know, you wouldn’t expect any less of a cheese sandwich) but this one also bestows lunch with a decent hit of calcium and one of those portions of fruit and veg. A julienne peeler (or clever knife skills) will give you a delicate tangle of zucchini strands, perfect to absorb the clean citrus and mint flavours and to disguise any bitter tendencies in the zucchini. If you don’t have a julienne peeler /fancy knife skills just aim to cut the courgette into as fine matchsticks as you can; grated, sadly, is too soggy for most bread to stand up to. Ricotta, courgette, lemon and mint are a real taste of summer; revel in them while you still can Northern Hemisphere!
This post is for Kalyn for her regular Weekend Herb Blogging event, as I know she is a staunch supporter of the food bloggers right to write about our cheese sandwiches.
Recipe for Aubergine, courgette and tomato stew with quinoa and feta
Serves 4
2 courgettes
1 large aubergine
1 large onion, halved then sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed then chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil (approximately)
Half teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon honey
600g canned chopped tomatoes
Salt and pepper
For the quinoa
200g quinoa, dry weight (about a cup), rinsed
3 spring onions, chopped
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
200g Feta
Trim the ends from the courgette and aubergine and slice the vegetables longways into thick slices. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook the veg in batches on a griddle pan (or grill) until nicely marked and nearly cooked through. Set aside to cool.
Put a pan of water on to boil for the quinoa.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a deep frying pan (one that has a lid for later). Add the onion and cook gently for fifteen minutes until soft and golden. Add the chopped garlic and dried oregano and cook for another five minutes, taking care not to burn the onions.
Add the tomatoes and honey into the pan with the onions, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. When the water comes to the boil put the quinoa on to cook, following the packet instructions.
Chop the aubergine and courgette into dice.
When the 20 minutes are up for the tomato and onion sauce add the diced courgette and aubergine. Replace the lid and simmer for a further ten minutes. Taste and add seasoning if required (remember that the feta will add extra saltiness).
When the quinoa is cooked drain and toss with the cinnamon, pine nuts and spring onion. Stir through the mint literally just before you dish up to stop it going black.
Serve the tomato, aubergine and courgette sauce alongside the quinoa and sprinkle with crumbled feta.
Come join me on Twitter
Sophie Roberts is a registered dietitian based in Oxford, UK. She works with individuals and companies to promote healthy lifestyles and good nutrition.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
I love your cheese sandwich! Kind of a sandwich version of Zucchini Carpaccio, which is so delish! And I agree, people are very interested in hearing about cheese sandwiches!
Mmm delicious, what a good idea. Very interested in the Hillingdon cheese link, useful to have some of that information in one place – but couldn’t get the second link to work (does cheese have any nutritional value?), because it comes back to your site ;)
Thanks
Joanna
joannasfood.blogspot.com
Hi Kalyn – Zucchini Carpaccio and Ricotta sandwich would sound really posh, I should have called it that rather than a cheese sandwich :-)
Thanks for spotting that link Joanna – I must have pasted the same URL in twice. It’s fixed now! I’m glad the links are useful; most people love cheese so there’s no harm in knowing a bit more about it
Sophie, I love this type of sandwich a lot. It’s so fresh and beautiful, I can eat it without lots of guilt!
And you are so right to forget about the normal cream cheese and go for the artisan types. In Australia, we have fantastic cheese makers, and I guess you have that in Uk, too.
Oh my! This is the sort of thing I love. Such gorgeous flavours and it looks so fresh and delicious. I love that vibrant green.