Stuffed courgette flowers

I am such an advocate of growing courgettes (zucchini).

As well as providing a plentiful crop over several months, the plants with their huge leaves and big yellow flowers also look fine in a flower border.

I have been enjoying griddling the courgettes and serving themwith some lemon juice - or layering them with a bit of chopped mint and some ricotta cheese and lemon juice. Then I came across a recipe using similar ingredients for stuffed courgette flowers.

I used to love having these when I lived in Italy but had never tried to make them before. I gave it a try this weekend and really loved them. You simply open the flowers out, checking for any unwanted insects, then stuff them with some ricotta mixed with grated Parmesan and chopped mint leaves. The easiest way is to role the mixture into a little tube shape then push it into the open flower and twist closed afterwards.

The batter couldn't be easier - just mix self-raising flower with fizzy water and dip the flowers into the batter - it should be the consistency of single cream.

Get your oil very hot and then drop the flowers in gently and fry till golden

Absolutely delicious.

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Clare Flynn

How to grow vegetables when you have no space

Now that many of us are facing tough times with the economic crisis, growing some of our own food has to be a good idea. But what do you do if you don't have much space? I had always thought you needed a sizeable vegetable plot or an allotment before you could even contemplate growing vegetables.

How wrong I was! I have now discovered the joys of sneaking vegetables in amongst the flowers in the few small beds I have in my little town patio garden. I had no idea how decorative they can be and how well they mix in with the flowers that are already there. Courgettes for example give a plentiful crop from a couple of plants and also reward you with their flowers.

This olive tree in a tall container last year was surrounded by geraniums. This year I've planted Mediterranean herbs (thyme and oregano) around it with some colour to come soon from a few blue sweet peas and some blue salvia. The different shades of green, different leaf textures and shapes make a wonderful combination. I'm now going to grow some real peas in with some sweet peas in a different corner of the garden, so I can have the benefit of the colour and scent of the sweet peas and the yummy taste of fresh peas form the pod. I can't wait!

(That's a fig tree just behind - there's already quite a lot of fruit appearing so fingers crossed!)