Chargrilled Asparagus, Courgettes and Manouri
"From Ottolenghi The Cookbook> You can substitute halloumi cheese for the manouri. You can roast the tomatoes and blanch the asparagus ahead of time if you wish."
- Ready In:
- 1hr 10mins
- Ingredients:
- 12
- Serves:
-
6
ingredients
- 350 g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 140 ml olive oil
- 24 asparagus spears
- 2 zucchini
- 200 g manouri cheese, sliced 2 cm thick
- 25 g rocket
- coarse sea salt and black pepper
-
For the basil oil
- 75 ml olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 25 g basil leaves
- 1 pinch salt
- 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
directions
- Start with the tomatoes. Preheat the oven to 350°F Mix the tomatoes with 3 tbsps of the olive oil and season with some salt and pepper. Spread them out on a baking tray lined with baking parchment, skin side down. Roast in the oven for 40-50 minutes, or until semi-dried. You can leave them there a bit more or a bit less, depending on how dry you like them. They will be delicious anyway. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
- Trim the woody bases of the asparagus and blanch for 4 minutes in plenty of boiling water. Drain and refresh under cold water, making sure the spears are completely cold. Drain well again, then transfer to a mixing bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of the remaining olive oil and some salt and pepper.
- Slice the zucchinis very thinly lengthwise, using a mandolin or a vegetable peeler. Mix with 1 tbsp of the olive oil and some salt and pepper.
- Place a ridged griddle pan on a high heat and leave there for a few minutes. It should be very hot. Grill the zucchinis and asparagus, turning them over after about a minute. You want to get nice char marks on all sides. Remove and leave to cool.
- Heat the remaining 3 tbsp of olive oil in a pan. Fry the manouri cheese for 3 minutes on each side or until it is golden. Place on kitchen paper to soak up excess oil. Alternatively, chargrill the cheese on the hot griddle pan for about 2 minutes on each side.
- To make the basil oil, blitz all the ingredients in a blender until smooth. You might need to double the quantity for some blender blades to be effective. Keep any extra oil for future salads.
- To assemble, arrange the rocket, vegetables and cheese in layers on a flat serving plate. Try to build the salad up whilst showing all the individual components. Drizzle with as much basil oil as you like and serve.
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