BBQ Salads

GRILLED SUMMER VEGETABLES WITH CREAMY SHALLOT DRESSING

Fire up the grill for a sizzling good grilled vegetable platter. These grilled vegetables make a great side dish or on their own as a meatless main

• Serves: 4
• Preparation time: 5 minutes
• Cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

For the dressing:

60g eschalion shallots, diced

125ml olive oil

60ml white wine vinegar

2 tbsp runny honey or maple syrup

1 heaped tsp Dijon mustard

Sea salt & cracked black pepper

For the vegetables:

3 large echalion shallots, sliced down the middle

2 fennel bulbs, cut into large wedges

2 tbsp rapeseed oil

Sea salt and cracked black pepper

3 leeks, cut into 10cm lengths and slice down the middle

1 courgette, cut into large, diagonal slices

Packet of vine tomatoes

125g asparagus spears, trimmed

Layout 1

Method

Preheat the oven to 190C/180C fan/gas 5.

First, make the dressing. Place all the dressing ingredients in a food processor and blitz until all the shallots are finely diced and a creamy, pale dressing forms. Set aside until ready to serve.

Place the shallots and fennel wedges in a roasting tin and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of rapeseed oil and season with a little salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 15 ‐ 20 minutes until softened but still holding form.

In the meantime, warm the barbecue or heat a griddle pan on the hob. Using a pastry brush, brush all the vegetables with a little oil. Place the leeks cut‐side down onto the grill followed by the courgette. Cook the vegetables until they have visible griddle lines, are nicely charred and soft all the way through ‐ this may take a couple

of turns on the grill.

When the shallots and fennel are softened, remove from oven and place straight onto the grill. Griddle in the same way as the other vegetables.

Add the vine tomatoes to the roasting tin and place in oven until all the other vegetables have been griddled ‐ approximately 5 ‐ 10 minutes. Finally, griddle the asparagus for just 2‐3 minutes.

To serve, neatly pile all the vegetables onto a large platter. Remove the roasted tomatoes from the oven and place on top of the vegetables. Finish with a drizzle of dressing and serve the remaining dressing in a bowl on the side. ukshallot.com

PEACH, HALLOUMI & LENTIL SALAD

Filling enough to be a main course, this colourful salad is a medley of textures and flavours and features that barbecue favourite, halloumi.

• Serves: 4‐6
• Preparation time: 5 minutes
• Cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

200g (7oz) puy lentils or similar

small dark green lentils

1 small onion

2 garlic cloves, whole

2 bay leaves

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar,

plus extra to drizzle

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil,

plus extra to drizzle

3 ripe peaches, quartered

2 x 225g (8oz) packs of halloumi, sliced

80g (23/4oz) watercress

sea salt and freshly ground

black pepper

To serve

a small bunch of mint, chopped

2–3 red chillies, chopped

Method:

Put the lentils into a small saucepan and add cold water to cover. Quarter the onion through the root (no need to peel) and add to the pan with the garlic and bay leaves. Set on the hob (stovetop) over a medium heat and bring to the boil.

Simmer for 10–15 minutes until the lentils are tender but with a little bite. Drain and discard the onion, garlic and bay. While still hot, add the balsamic vinegar, olive oil and a grind of salt and pepper, stirring well to mix.

Fire up the barbecue ready for direct cooking. Drizzle the peaches and halloumi with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Rest on the grill bars directly over the fire. Lower the lid and and grill for 2–3 minutes, then turn over to cook the other side. Transfer to a plate.

To serve, pile the watercress into a serving plate or bowl and toss through the dressed lentils. Top with the grilled peaches and halloumi and scatter over the mint and chilli. Finish with a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic and serve warm. Genevieve Taylor Foolproof BBQ