Food Blog: A simple classic from the DE Kitchen

Monday, March 16, 2026

A simple classic from the DE Kitchen

Image of creamy courgettes and butter beans

It's hard to believe we're already coming up to the middle of March. With the year moving so quickly, this week felt like the perfect moment to slow things down in the kitchen and spend a little longer cooking something nourishing. While quick, 20-minute dinners absolutely have their place, there's something really lovely about recipes that ask you to take your time. Gently stirring a pot, letting ingredients slowly soften and deepen in flavour - sometimes the process can feel just as enjoyable as the meal itself. This week's recipe from the DE Kitchen is a simple classic: slow-cooked courgettes with creamy butter beans. It's the kind of dish that feels comforting, nourishing and of course, full of flavour. The courgettes are slowly cooked down with plenty of garlic and a hint of chilli until they're soft and jammy. Butter beans are stirred through along with plenty of lemon zest and a spoonful of coconut yoghurt, which adds a lovely creaminess to the dish.

Image of creamy courgettes and butter beans

6 tablespoons, olive oil 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced pinch of dried red chilli flakes 3 courgettes (2 thinly sliced and 1 coarsely grated) 2 handfuls of pine nuts 1 handful of basil 1 handful of parsley 240 g canned butter beans (1 x 400g can + the liquid from the can) 1 vegetable stock cube 2 tablespoons coconut yoghurt 1 lemon zested 1 pinch of flaky sea salt & black pepper

Method Step 1 Warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan or shallow casserole dish set over medium heat; add the garlic and chilli flakes (if using), cook for 3–4 minutes until just golden. Step 2 Add the sliced courgettes and a generous pinch of salt; cook for 20–25 minutes, stirring every so often, until tender and golden. Step 3 Meanwhile, warm a small frying pan over low heat, add the pine nuts and cook for 6–8 minutes until golden. Pour into a mini-chopper, along with the basil, parsley and a pinch of salt. Blitz briefly to create a coarse paste; stir in the remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil and set aside. Step 4 Once the courgettes are cooked, increase the heat, then add the butter beans (along with the liquid from the tin) and crumble in the stock cube. Using kitchen paper, squeeze out any excess water from the grated courgette and stir the courgette into the pan; cook for 5 minutes until softened and most of the liquid has bubbled away. Step 5 Remove the pan from the heat; stir in the coconut yoghurt, lemon zest and season generously. Spoon the pesto over the top and pour any leftovers into a small bowl to serve on the side. Delicious with fresh bread or warm toast.

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If you have a little extra time, you can also make a quick pesto to drizzle over the top. Another bonus, is that this dish freezers really well, making it a great recipe to batch cook and keep on hand for busy days. It's especially good served with a slice of crusty bread to mop everything up.

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