Spanish manchego and courgette muffins

Spanish manchego muffins © dan and tuesday

This evening I am channelling my friend and colleague, Sandy, who is the best muffin baker I know. I’ve decided to make a savoury muffin after Sandy made Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s courgette and pine nut muffins for my bbq birthday party last month.

I am using a recipe from a Marks and Spencer “magical muffins” cookbook (only £5!). This is the first muffin recipe I am using from the book. It’s a good muffins cookbook which contains sweet, savoury, and healthy muffins, and muffins for special occasions.

Most of the ingredients for this recipe are stock items in my pantry. The only things I needed were fresh flat-leaf parsley, courgette, and Spanish manchego cheese. The trickiest bit is having a shredded courgette but I have my trusty magimix food processor for that.

shredded courgettes © dan and tuesday

You need:

• 150 50 ml vegetable oil
• 280 grams plain flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp granulated/caster sugar
• 2 medium free-range eggs
• 175 ml milk
• 400 g shredded courgettes
• 30 grams grated Spanish manchego cheese
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Tools:

• grater for cheese and courgette
• food processor (optional)
• 12-cup muffin tray oiled or line with muffin cases
• muffin cases (optional)
• Pre-heated oven at 200˚C
• mixing bowls
• beater (optional)

oiling the muffin tray © dan and tuesday

What to do:

1. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a big bowl. Add the sugar and mix well.
   

   sifting flour © dan and tuesday

2. In another bowl, beat the eggs lightly with a fork or a beater. Stir in milk and the vegetable oil and mix well.
   

   beating the eggs © dan and tuesday

3. Add egg mixture to the flour mixture and gently stir to mix well.
4. Add the courgettes. Lightly stir.
5. Add the manchego. Lightly stir.
6. Add parsley. Lightly stir.
7. Really, don’t over-stir. It’s fine if it’s a bit lumpy.
8. Divide evenly in the muffin tray filling it at least 2/3 full.
9. Cook in the oven for about 25 mins until it’s golden. You can test if the muffins are already cooked by sticking in a toothpick and if it comes clean then it’s cooked.
10. Remove from the oven leave it on the tray for a bit and then transfer on a wire rack to cook properly. Eat it right away (most awesome idea) or you can freeze it for about a month. I like mine with a bit of butter but Dan prefers it without.

lovely savoury muffins © dan and tuesday

What I want to try next time with this recipe

• use different fresh herb like oregano, rosemary or basil
• use less oil
• use young spinach with the cheese
• oh, and use more cheese!
• Manchego cheese is a bit mild for me so I might try a strong cheese like smoked applewood or even parmesan next time.