This is one of the boy’s favourite summer salads, probably
as it is quite substantial and filling. It's a lovely side dish.
4 long thin courgettes
225g Santini tomatoes
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
½ a mild red chilli
1 clove garlic
10 mint leaves
Flaky sea salt & ground pepper
If you can’t find Santini tomatoes (yellow baby plum
tomatoes), any baby plum or even cherry tomatoes will work. We are growing a variety called Russian Purple so I'm looking forward to substituting those later in the year. Small courgettes are more tender and work best but all I could find was one big fat one, but it worked just as well really.
Use a vegetable peeler to make thin ribbons of the
courgette. We do have a mandolin but the boy isn’t allowed anywhere near it.
Halve the tomatoes lengthways so you get nice long ovals.
I use about an inch and a half of chilli – a big fat red one.
Deseed if you have cut into the area where the seeds are, and remove any membrane. The boy is chilli sensitive
but this should add background depth rather than heat. Chop it as finely as you can for the same
reason.
Chop the garlic and mint leaves. Add to the bowl along with the oil and lemon juice
and toss together. The courgettes look nice flecked with red and green. Season
well. I always let the boy do this.
Leave for half an hour so everything gets to know each
other, but best not left too much longer than that. The boy had the great idea of using some rustic bread to mop up the oily, garlicky, minty dressing once we'd finished the salad.
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