Student - September 24, 2009

Eat courgettes and save the world

If we care about the fate of the world, we should change our eating habits and go vegetarian. That is the latest message from the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency.

Penne with courgette, for a better world
According to the 'Environmental balance' the agency published this month, the Netherlands is not reaching its environmental targets, and there is only one solution. The consumption of meat, fish and dairy produce cause 12 percent of greenhouse gas emissions and 30 percent of the loss of biodiversity. So there can be no more discussion about those animal products that make some people's mouths water and other people's stomachs turn (whether from idealism or not). No more meat, fish and dairy produce. Basta! Or pasta - just the job for vegetarian dishes.  To get that creamy texture we all love, a drop of soya cream is still allowed, luckily. And for keen gardeners, this issue's recipe is also a good way to use up that glut of courgettes. /Arianne van Leeuwen 
COURGETTE PASTA
Preparation time: 40 min
Ingredients for 2 people
1 red onion, chopped
50 ml white wine vinegar
100 ml white wine
1 tablespoon ginger syrup
200 ml vegetable stock
1 tablespoon pink peppercorns (from the health food store)
 200 ml soya cream
1 tablespoon Madeira
1 green courgette
1 red pepper
1 packet of cherry tomatoes
Juice of ½ an orange
Bunch of basil
Salt and pepper
200 g penne

Preparation
Sauté the onion and garlic and add the vinegar, white wine, ginger syrup and stock. Boil until the liquid is reduced by half, and add the pink peppercorns and the cream. Boil until the liquid is halved again. Add salt and pepper to taste. At the last minute, add a dash of Madeira.
Cube the courgettes. Then stir-fry a chopped onion, the courgettes and whole cherry tomatoes in olive oil in a wok for about 4 minutes, until 'al dente'. Add the orange juice and a lump of butter. Stir well and put the pan to one side.
Cook the pasta, combine it with the vegetables and the sauce and mix well. Add a generous sprinkling of basil leaves and drizzle olive oil over the top.