Courgette salad with thyme and green olive dressing | Recipe of the week

Courgettes are one of those pleasing vegetables easily grown at home or on the allotment.
Courgette salad with thyme and green olives. Courgette salad with thyme and green olives.
Courgette salad with thyme and green olives.

If you don’t have green fingers or the inclination to grow any then there is always your local green grocer for supplies.

This lovely vegetable is in its prime in July and August when you will find small firm fruits before they get large and turn into marrows.

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We mostly grow green courgettes but you will also find yellow and sometimes white varieties to add extra colour to your dishes.

This delicate flavoured vegetable is low in calories and full of vitamins A and C making it an ideal choice to pair with Barbecued lamb or chicken.

I use a griddle pan to char the courgettes before marinating them in an olive dressing for this recipe.

Ingredients – serves 4

6 or 9 small courgettes (depends on size)

Tablespoon chopped green olives

4 small shallots, finely chopped

Clove garlic, finely chopped

Bunch thyme

Handful spinach

125 ml olive oil

Sea salt

15ml aged balsamic vinegar

A few leaves of nasturtium

20 x Parmesan cheese flakes

Method

1. Put half the thyme leaves into a liquidiser.

2. Put the olive oil into the liquidiser with a pinch of salt and blend for 40 seconds on the highest setting.

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3. Strain the oil through muslin cloth. Clean the liquidiser and put the strained oil back into it.

4 Add the spinach and blend for 40 secs on the highest setting. You will now have a bright green thyme oil.

5. Gently cook the shallots and garlic in a little olive oil until soft without colour. Allow to cool.

6. Mix the shallots, garlic, thyme leaves, and olives together. Mix in the thyme oil and balsamic. Add a pinch of sea salt and you now have the dressing.

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7. Split the courgettes longways, rub with a little olive oil and char on a griddle pan for 2 mins each side.

8. Put the courgettes into a container and spoon over the dressing. Allow to infuse for at least 20 mins.

9. Arrange the courgettes onto 4 plates spoon over the dressing and add the nasturtium leaf and Parmesan.