Zuccini with onions, garlic and mint

From Claudia Roden's Middle Eastern Food. Unusual in that you mash up the zucchini after boiling it in water to make tender.

Ingredients

Serves 6-8 This is as good cold, when it is served as an appetizer with bread, as it is hot as a side dish. It is the kind of thing people make with the leftover insides of hollowed-out zucchini when they stuff them.

• 2 pounds zucchini, cut into large pieces
• 3 ½ cups chicken stock (page 143) (or use 2 bouillon cubes)
• 2 onions, chopped
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoons chopped mint leaves
• Salt and pepper
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges (optional)

Method

Boil the zucchini in the stock for about 15 minutes, or until soft. Drain, mash, and chop them in a colander to get rid of the excess liquid (drink the stock—it has a lovely vegetable flavor).

In a large frying pan, fry the onions in 2 tablespoons of the oil until golden. Add the garlic, and stir until it just begins to color. Add the zucchini, mint, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring and mixing well, for about 5 minutes.

Stir in the remaining oil and serve hot or cold with lemon wedges.

Variation

Stir in 2 cups natural or thick Greek-style strained yogurt before serving, or pass the pot round for people to help themselves.