The result is an accessible and attractive compendium of over 100 recipes, categorised by type of ingredients or types to dishes that can be easily recreated at home, provided you adhere to Stein's dictum that good quality ingredients are all COURGETTES, or as the Italians and Americans call them, zucchini, are often underestimated little vegetables; maybe it is because they are often not very little at all and, rather, quite big and tasteless.

When they measure anything from about 10-20cm they are delicious with a subtle flavour that works well with anything from chilli and garlic to lemon juice and Parmesan cheese . . . and they love fresh summer herbs like basil, mint, marjoram and tarragon.

The courgette, which can be either yellow or a dark or light green, is a summer squash that tends to get a bit watery the larger it gets, turning into a marrow, which is fine for stuffing and baking but not really for sauteing and tossing with pasta.

The trick, as well as finding them small enough, is to cook them, if at all, for just a couple of minutes to avoid that mushy texture.

If they are fairly small then they are delicious raw, thinly sliced in a salad with lots of chopped fresh herbs, olive oil and some lemon juice. But the bigger ones can be floury and bitter if not cooked.

I love courgettes cooked on the barbeque; just slice thinly lengthways, toss in a little olive oil and lemon juice, season with sea salt and pepper and grill on either side for a couple of minutes till slightly golden.

They are one of the easiest vegetables to grow and if you have them in your garden you will also be able to enjoy the bright orange flower that grows with it.

The flower petals are delicious torn up and tossed in a salad or stuffed with a ricotta or goats cheese mixed with olives and herbs and deep-fried.

CCOURGETTE, BASIL & LEMON SALAD
Serves 4
4 small to medium courgettes
3 tbsp olive oil grated zest and juice of one lemon
1 tsp honey
2 tbsp torn basil
Sea salt and black pepper

Slice the courgettes very thinly, at an angle or into long thin slices. Place in a shallow dish. Make a dressing by mixing the olive oil, lemon zest and juice and honey. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the torn basil and pour over the courgette slices. Season to taste and serve. These will sit for a couple of hours if needed.

CCOURGETTE & TARRAGON RISOTTO
Serves 4

1 litre (approx) light chicken or vegetable stock
2 tbsp olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, chopped
4 small to medium courgettes, sliced into rounds pinch of saffron
1 generous tbsp chopped tarragon
400g risotto rice, such as Arborio or Carnaroli
125ml white wine
25g butter
75g finely grated Parmesan cheese a few courgette flowers, if you have them

Put the stock into a saucepan on the hob to heat and keep at a low simmer.

In a larger saucepan pour in the olive oil and heat. Add the chopped shallots and the garlic and cook for a minute until almost golden.

Add the sliced courgettes, the saffron and half of the tarragon and cook for a few more minutes until the courgette slices begin to wilt.

Remove the courgette slices from the pan and set aside for later.

Into the saucepan the courgettes were in add the rice (add another tablespoon of olive oil if the pan is dry). Toss the rice on the heat for a minute, then pour in the wine and allow it to boil.

Season with salt and pepper. Start to add the simmering stock to the rice, a ladleful at a time, while stirring. Keep the heat low to avoid burning the rice.

Keep adding the stock until the rice is plump and just slightly al dente . . . this may take about 20 minutes.

When the rice is ready add most of the grated Parmesan and taste for seasoning.

To serve, scatter with the remaining grated cheese and some torn courgette flowers if you have them .

CREAMY RIGATONI WITH COURGETTES, LEMON & BASIL
Serves 4

This is one of my all-time favourite comfort foods. It's surprisingly refreshing for a pasta dish due to the fresh flavours of the lemon, courgette and basil, but the mascarpone and cream cheese are warmly satisfying.

450g rigatoni or other pasta shapes
2 tbsp olive oil
4 small or 2 medium courgettes, halved lengthways (seeds removed) and thinly sliced at an angle . . . if the courgettes are 12cms or smaller don't halve lengthways or remove seeds
100g mascarpone cheese or soft cream cheese
3 tbsp milk

Finely grated zest of half a lemon 3 tbsp torn or sliced basil Bring a large pot of water to the boil with a good pinch of salt and cook the pasta according to pack instructions.

While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a high heat and add the courgettes. Cook for three or four minutes until just softened and a light golden.

In a bowl mix together the cheese, milk, lemon zest and one tablespoon of the basil. Add to the courgettes in the pan and toss together on the heat for one minute until the cheese melts. Season to taste.

Drain the pasta and return to the large pot. Add the creamy courgettes and gently stir to mix. Pour into a warm serving bowl and scatter with the remaining basil. Serve immediately.

ZUCCHINI (COURGETTE) BREAD
Makes two loaves

This recipe, from The Ballymaloe Bread Book by Tim Allen, was originally a family recipe of an American friend of ours, Diane Compton. It is sweet, like a banana bread.

450g plain flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 level tsp bread soda, finely sieved 1 tsp salt 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground nutmeg half tsp ground cloves 125ml milk 2 eggs 110g butter 110g sugar 3 courgettes (15cm long), grated 50g chopped walnuts 2 loaf tins, fully lined Preheat the oven to 1800C/3500F/gas 4.

Sieve the dry ingredients . . . not the sugar . . .into a large wide bowl. Rub in the butter and stir in the sugar. Beat the eggs with the milk and pour into the dry ingredients. Beat with a wooden spoon until combined. Stir in the walnuts .

Divide into the lined loaf tins and bake in the preheated oven for about 50-60 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.

Leave to cool in the tins for about five minutes, then take out of the tins and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.

SAUTEED COURGETTE WITH CHILLI & GARLIC
Serves 4

3-4 tbsp olive oil
4 small courgettes, sliced very thinly lengthways or into rounds, about 5mm half a red chilli, deseeded and chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely grated or rushed juice of half a lemon

Heat a large frying pan over a high heat, add the olive oil, the sliced courgettes, the chilli and garlic.

Toss regularly in the pan, season with salt and pepper and cook until the courgettes begin to wilt and turn a little golden.

Take the pan off the heat, taste for seasoning and serve.