CHARGRILLED COURGETTES WITH WHIPPED FETA & BLACKENED CHILLI-LIME DRESSING

“Chargrilling courgettes on the griddle or the barbecue brings out their sweetness, while also giving them elusive smoky notes. Using a mixture of yellow and green courgettes makes for a particularly lovely-looking salad. This dressing was devised by Leo, Wahaca’s development chef, and it is blissfully light, sharp and zingy all at the same time, perfect for dressing the rich courgette flesh.”

- Thomasina Miers (cook / co-founder of Wahaca / food writer)

Ingredients

• 70ml (2½ fl oz) good olive oil

Serves 4-6

• 6 large courgettes (zucchini), green and yellow

• Few large handfuls of watercress or other peppery leaves

• 50g (2 oz) toasted hazelnuts (filberts) (optional)

For the whipped feta

• 200g (7 oz) feta, drained

• 180g (6½ oz) Greek yoghurt

• 2 tbsp tahini

• Zest of 2 limes

For the dressing

• 2 green chillies

• 12g (½ oz) sea salt

• Juice of 2 limes

• Handful mint leaves, plus extra for garnish

Method

4.4 miles better per portion

Blitz the feta and yoghurt with the tahini, lime zest and 1–2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Set aside.

Dry-roast the green chillies in a dry frying pan (skillet) until blackened in spots all over, then whizz with 50ml (1 fl oz) water, the salt, mint leaves, 50ml (1¾ fl oz) of the lime juice and 25ml (1 fl oz) of the olive oil.

Cut the courgettes lengthways into 2cm (¾ inch) slices and toss in 1–2 tablespoons of oil. Grill (broil) on a griddle or over a barbecue until nicely coloured on each side, turning with tongs. Once they are coloured and tender but not mushy, remove them from the barbecue onto a serving plate.

Spoon the whipped feta onto a pretty platter, followed by the courgettes. Drizzle with some of the lime dressing. Strew with the watercress and then top with toasted hazelnuts, if using, and the mint leaves. Dress with a little more chilli-lime dressing and serve.

Recipe photo: Tara Fisher

MEAT-FREE MEXICAN by Thomasina Miers (Hodder & Stoughton, 2022) is out now.

65.3% less emissions than Chargrilled Chicken with Whipped Feta and Blackened ChiliLime Dressing.