GRILLED COURGETTE SALAD - WITH LEMON, GARLIC, CHILLI AND MINT

GRILLED COURGETTE SALAD - WITH LEMON, GARLIC, CHILLI AND MINT..

This is a super healthy and really beautiful looking salad - I've been eating far too much meat lately, and last night was no different, but if I can pile my plate full of salad first, then at least that makes me feel a bit healthier - Last night, Annika and Tim were staying again (always a joy obviously, apart from the police helicopter trying to catch a lunatic hovering over our house ALL night).. We were all downstairs again by 4 am, and quite tempted to open another bottle - but luckily good sense prevailed...)

INGREDIENTS (for 6)

4 courgettes (sliced lengthways - about 4 slices per courgette)
Juice of 2 lemons, and zest of 1
4 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
Roughly chopped mint
Extra virgin olive oil

Optional Extras - raw broad beans/peas/goats cheese/parma ham

I went for the broad bean option, as they were the only thing I had in the freezer.

So, when all else is nearly ready, it will take about 5 minutes to prepare this... Once you've sliced the courgettes, then heat a griddle with some olive oil on (no worries if you don't have one, it's only to get the fancy markings on them).  Be really careful not to overcook them, as we don't like limp things in our house, and they will go limp and soggy if you leave them too long...
So just a few minutes on either side is all you need to do... they barely need to cook...
and then lay them as pretty as you like on a platter.
If you are adding raw broad beans or peas etc, then add them to the courgettes now before you drizzle anything on top..
Then you can scatter the chopped garlic and chilli over the courgettes etc... don't panic about raw garlic and chilli - because once you add the lemon juice and the mint, this lessens the impact of the garlic and chilli.
Drizzle over a little extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice and then sprinkle with roughly chopped mint.
Then a little lemon zest, salt and pepper and you are good to go...

THE SUN IS OUT AND WE NEED TO CELEBRATE... So, once you've eaten a nice healthy salad - we had it with slow cooked roast lamb, rhubarb compote (hmmmm - I was rhubarb crazy yesterday) and new potatoes... I highly recommend eating an entire family pack of Revels and a box of Ferrero Roche, washed down with gallons of wine and rhubarb crumble and custard - literally....