Leczo with Courgette by Polly Eats London

Recipe by Dominika of Polly Eats London
@pollyeatslondon on Instagram | www.pollyeatslondon.co.uk

Dominika says:

"Originating from Hungary, it became a staple of Polish summer and early autumnal cuisine. Leczo - a vegetable stew- is an aromatic mix of bell peppers, onion, courgette,  cooked slowly with a pork sausage and spices. A marrow was also a Polish addition to the stew; this humble vegetable disintegrates while cooking, creating an extra flavoured sauce.  Leczo is a light, seasonal and filling dish, simple and quick to prepare. It may be served with bread, boiled potatoes, cooked rice, sometimes as a side dish for fried fish, meatballs and roasted chicken. My mother served it with potato fritters - placki ziemniaczane. Leczo (the meatless version) can be preserved in jars and consumed in winter."

⏱️Preparation: 20 minutes
⏲️Cooking: 40-45 minutes
🍽️Serves: 3-4 Adults

Ingredients

• Fussels Garlic Flavoured Rapeseed Oil
• Fussels Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil
• 1 medium onion
• 3 peppers (red and yellow or all red)
• 3 small courgettes
• 2 large tomatoes
• 300 g of kielbasa (Polish pork sausage)
• 1 tbsp of tomato purée
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp mild smoked paprika powder
• 1/2 tsp hot paprika powder
• 1 tsp oregano

Method

Wash and core the tomatoes, then score a shallow cross into the base of each one. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and prepare a bowl of very cold water.

Using a slotted spoon, carefully lower the tomatoes into the boiling water for about 1 minute, or until the skins begin to loosen. Transfer them straight to the cold water. Once cool enough to handle, peel away the skins, dice the tomatoes and set aside.

Cut the peppers into strips, dice the courgettes, and thinly slice the onion and sausage.

Heat 2–3 tbsp of Fussels Garlic Flavoured Rapeseed Oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan. Add the onion and cook over a medium heat for 3–5 minutes, until softened.

Add the sliced sausage and continue to cook for around 10 minutes, until the sausage and onion are lightly browned. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add 1 tbsp of Fussels Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil to the same pan, followed by the peppers. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 7 minutes. Remove the peppers and set aside.

Add the courgette to the pan and fry until lightly golden. Return the peppers to the pan, then add the diced peeled tomatoes, salt, smoked paprika, hot paprika, oregano and tomato purée.

Stir everything together, cover and cook gently over a low heat for 10–15 minutes.

Add the cooked sausage and onion back to the pan and stir to combine. Cover once more and simmer gently for a further 10 minutes, allowing all the flavours to come together.

Serve warm with crusty bread — such as ciabatta or baguette — or with boiled baby potatoes.