Courgettes stuffed with goat’s cheese & lamb ragout

Browning the mince in these succulent veggies intensifies the flavour, which is lifted by the lemon, mint and goat's cheese

Prep:20 mins
Cook:1 hrs 10 mins

Serves 3
Easy

Nutrition per serving

kcal 738
fat 55g
saturates 25g
carbs 8g
sugars 6g
fibre 4g
protein 51g
salt 2g

Ingredients

500g pack lamb mince, or ask your butcher for minced lamb shoulder
1 ½ tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
4 garlic cloves, grated
500ml lamb stock
75g manzanilla olives, pitted and sliced
zest 1 lemon
1 green chilli, sliced
1 tbsp chopped mint
3 large courgettes, halved lengthways and seeds removed
150g goat's cheese

Tip

Courgettes

From the same family as squash and melon, courgettes should be firm with dark green, unblemished skin. Look out for round and lighter green varieties at farmers' markets.

Method

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Put the mince in a frying pan with 1 tbsp oil. Fry over a high heat until the lamb is dark and crisp, about 14 mins. Drain in a colander.
Return the pan to the heat, add the remaining oil and the onion, and fry until golden brown. Tip in the cumin and garlic, fry for 1 min, then add the mince and stock, and simmer for 20 mins. Add the olives, lemon zest, chilli, mint and some seasoning, and simmer for 5 mins more.
Sprinkle the courgettes with 1 tbsp flaky sea salt and leave in a colander for 15 mins to draw out a little moisture. Rinse under cold water, pat dry with kitchen paper, then transfer to an ovenproof dish. Fill the courgette halves with the lamb mixture and crumble over the goat’s cheese. Cook in the oven for 20-25 mins until the cheese is golden brown.