Roasted Courgette Salad With Lemon Chilli Basil And Crispy Shallots Recipes

GRILLED COURGETTE SALAD WITH BASIL, MINT, CHILLI AND LEMON

Steps:

• Toss the courgette strips in a bowl with the olive oil (just enough to coat the courgette), chilli, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Heat a ridged grill pan until smoking hot and griddle the courgettes in batches, about four minutes per side, being careful not to crowd the grill pan. They should be tender, but with a crunch to them in the middle. If the strips are not quite cooked, leave them on the grill pan for longer, but watch the heat as you don't want them to burn. Don't be tempted to move the courgette while it is cooking or you won't get the chargrill marks across the flesh. Drain on kitchen paper.
• Toss the griddled courgettes in the lemon juice, mint, basil and a good slug of your best extra virgin olive oil.

WARM LEMONY COURGETTE SALAD

Steps:

• Use a vegetable peeler to slice the courgettes into wide strips, discarding the central, seedy part. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the lemon zest and garlic, and fry over a medium heat for 1 min. Add the courgette strips and cook, stirring regularly, for a further 1-2 mins until the courgettes are slightly softened. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and toss the basil through.

COURGETTE, MINT, RICOTTA & CHILLI SALAD

Steps:

• Heat a griddle pan to medium. Put the courgette slices in a bowl and toss with 1½ tbsp of the oil. Griddle for 3-4 mins on each side - you'll need to do this in batches - then transfer to a clean bowl. (See below left for griddling tips.)
• Mix together the remaining oil, the vinegar, most of the chilli and mint, and some seasoning, then pour over the courgettes and leave to marinate.
• Meanwhile, heat the butter in a small pan until foaming, then add the pine nuts. Cook over a low heat until nicely browned, then drain on kitchen paper.
• To assemble the salad, toss the rocket and most of the pine nuts with the courgettes. Divide among plates or pile onto a serving dish. Break the ricotta into chunks and dot over the salad, then scatter the remaining chilli, mint and pine nuts on top.

COURGETTE, LEMON & CHILLI TAGLIATELLE

Steps:

• Coarsely grate the courgettes, then place in a sieve over a bowl. Press to squeeze out all the liquid - this may take a few mins, but try to drain away as much as you can.
• Cook the pasta in boiling salted water following pack instructions. Meanwhile, heat a large, non-stick frying pan, then dry-fry the bacon, stirring often, until crisp. Add the chilli and cook for 1 min more, then tip in the courgettes and cook on a high heat for 2-3 mins.
• Mix together the egg yolks, cheese, cream and lemon zest. When the pasta is cooked, drain it, reserving a little of the cooking water. Tip everything back into the pasta pan and toss together. Divide into bowls to serve, with extra Parmesan.