Roasted pepper and courgette salad with feta

This is very simple summery salad that is also perfect served as part of a BBQ menu.

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This salad has so much flavour, with slight sweetness from the roasted peppers, rich saltiness from the Feta and a slight tang from the vinegar in the dressing.

It is best to make this salad the day before so the flavours can develop, storing it in the fridge, but it is at its best if served at room temperature.

I made this with courgettes grown in the garden, which are now very much in season here. When roasted, they have the most wonderful flavour. While I love to flame-roast my own peppers, at the moment they won’t be ready for picking for some time, so I used a jar of roasted peppers: this a really great ingredient in its own right (a staple in this house!) and works so well in many dishes.

You can, of course, vary this salad in so many ways: I like to add a handful of toasted pine nuts or walnuts. A light drizzle of honey on top also works really well. You can even roast some red onion slices and slices of aubergine…….

Recipe: roasted pepper & courgette salad with feta

• 1 jar of roasted peppers (about 400-500g), drained
• 2 courgettes, sliced fairly thickly
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• a few pinches of sea salt
• a few pinches of crushed black peppercorns

Dressing:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2-3 teaspoons white wine vinegar (or use cider vinegar or red wine vinegar)
• 1 clove of garlic, finely crushed
• about 10 large basil leaves, finely chopped
• about 10 parsley leaves, finely chopped
• about 50g Feta, crumbled

To finish:

• a few basil leaves, finely chopped
• a few parsley, leaves, finely chopped
• a little Feta, crumbled
• a little extra-virgin olive oil, to drizzle

You will need to preheat the oven to 200°C(fan)

(1) Add the sliced courgettes to a bowl with the olive oil, salt and pepper and toss well to coat the courgettes in the oil.

(2) Lay the courgettes in a single layer on a large baking tray lined with parchment and cook for about 30 minutes until softer and lightly tinged golden-brown in places. Set aside to cool.

(3) Slice the drained pepper into thin strip and add to a bowl, along with the dressing ingredients. Add most of the Feta and gently mix well so the peppers and Feta are coated. Have a little taste and adjust seasoning if needed, or even a little more vinegar if you want a touch more sharpness.

(4) To finish, add the pepper mixture to a serving bowl and place the cooled courgettes on top, lifting them carefully with a palette knife to help them keep their shape: go rustic or elegant! Sprinkle with the remaining Feta, a light scattering of basil and parsley and a light drizzle of olive oil.