Category: Salad

Marinated Courgette Salad

Serves 8-10

Anyone growing their own courgettes, will soon be wondering what to do with them all. I give to you this salad. You’re welcome.

I first made it a year ago. And was pleased to revisit it yesterday when I had the girls round for a meal. Unlike a lot of salads, that you dress at the last moment, this is marinated for hours in advance. All the flavours develop and make the courgettes a perfect carrier for the lemon and chilli.

Words of advice for the best results: use young/fresh firm courgettes for the best results. This time it was before my courgettes were ready and I used ones from a shop which when I cut into them were ‘fluffier’ and ‘seedier’ than I would have liked, but they still tasted great once doused in the marinade. Use the best EVOO you have for the marinade. You will be tasting it! Ideally leave they to marinate in a large zip lock bag that you can occasionally massage, to get those flavours everywhere. If you only have Tupperware then give the box an occasional shake. I made this salad 10 hours in advance. Ideally make it on the day you want it, as early as you can, but give it at least a couple of hours to penetrate. Remove from the fridge at least half an hour before serving so it can get to room temperature.

Ingredients:

2-3 medium courgettes, washed and then sliced as finely and evenly as you can. Alternatively you can use a peeler to create long ribbons.

2 lemons, zest and juice

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 red chilli, finely chopped

Step 1: Place the sliced courgettes in a large zip lock bag and drizzle over a couple of seconds worth of the olive oil, the zest of both lemons, the juice of one, and the chopped chilli. Squeeze the air out of the bag as you seal it and then give everything a good massage through the bag.

Step 2: Check it is properly sealed and then lie it in the fridge for as long as you can that day. Every now and again give it a shake or massage.

Step 3: Remove from the fridge half an hour or so before serving. Pile onto a serving platter and squeeze of the remaining lemon juice just before serving.

Tahini Noodle Salad

Serves 2-4

This salad can be a meal in itself or pair it with some protein, such as tofu, prawns or chicken.

You can use any noodles you fancy but vermicelli rice noodles are a good carrier. Cook these according to the packet instructions (usually soaking in just-boiled water for five minutes) and then drain carefully and run cold water through them to make them ready for the dressing and stop them sticking together.

This dressing is enough to coat the noodles here but it is a light dressing. If you want a stronger punch, double the quantities.

Ingredients:

200g rice noodles, cooked according to the packet instructions and then run under cold water to cool.

1 shredded carrot

1 red pepper cut into strips

2 spring onions, sliced

Plus any extra vegetables you fancy, sliced

For the dressing:

3 tbsp Tahini

1 tbsp Soy sauce (gluten-free if required)

1 tbsp Honey/maple syrup

1 tbsp Rice wine vinegar

1 tbsp (sweet) chilli sauce

Thumb size piece of ginger, grated

Step 1: Mix all the dressing ingredients together to a smooth paste.

Step 2: In a large bowl combine all the noodles and vegetables together. Pour over the dressing and using clean hands, toss together until everything is coated. Serve.

Courgette and Tomato Salad with Pomegranate Molasses and Mint

Serves 6 as a side dish

As summer approaches, anyone growing courgettes will probably be wondering what to do with them all. Here is a Middle-Eastern-inspired salad that uses them raw. They provide more of a texture than flavour, but the dressing sings!

Make sure to use room temperature tomatoes to increase their sweet flavour (straight from the fridge and they won’t taste of much!)

Ingredients:

250g baby tomatoes, halved

2 courgette, cut length ways into quarters and then into 1cm chunks

1/2 red onion cut in to thin half moons

30g mint, leaves only

4 tbsp pomegranate molasses

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp sumac

Pinch of salt

Step 1: Assemble the prepared tomatoes, courgette, onion and mint leaves in a large bowl.

Step 2: Mix the pomegranate molasses, olive oil, sumac and salt together (I shake all the ingredients together in a sealed jar).

Step 3: Toss the salad and dressing together(can be done up to an hour before serving). Serve.