Courgette fries

Cut the courgettes into 5cm chips, and lay out on kitchen roll.

Beat the eggs in a shallow bowl, spread out the flour on one plate, and mix the panko breadcrumbs and grated parmesan on a second plate.

Tip a small handful of courgette chips into the flour, and toss until thoroughly coated. Dunk them in the beaten eggs, then swirl until completely coated, before dropping them onto the parmesan-breadcrumb mixture, and tossing lightly to coat.

Transfer to a tray lined with baking paper, and repeat until you’ve crumbed and coated all the fries. NOTE: to avoid getting more crumbs on your hands than on the fries, use one hand to do the flour and breadcrumbs, and the other to do the egg.

Mix the sour cream and chives, and set aside.

Heat the oil in a deep sided saucepan until it reaches 180C or until a cube of bread dropped in sizzles and turns a light golden brown within 30 seconds. Gently lower in enough courgette fries to sit comfortably in one layer, and fry for 1 ½ - 2 minutes on a medium heat until golden brown and crisp.

Fish them out with a metal slotted spoon, gently tapping the spoon against the side of the pan to get rid of excess oil, and transfer onto a baking tray lined with kitchen roll.

Keep the cooked fries warm in an oven heated to 50C while you fry the remaining courgette in batches. Serve hot with the sour cream and chive dip.