A salad of courgettes, chicken, dill, spring onions and mint

A salad of courgettes, chicken, dill, spring onions and mint

Summer

I think courgettes are a little underrated. Perhaps it's because they share their name with the much larger marrow, which tends not to inspire quite the same enthusiasm in the kitchen.

Unlike aubergines, courgettes grow happily outdoors here in the south west. Just two or three plants can produce dozens of sweet, firm fruits over the course of a summer. When they're small and freshly picked, I like them raw, thinly sliced with lemon juice and mint. They're delicate, nutty and surprisingly refreshing.

When the courgettes become a little larger, I tend to cook them. Slow cooking with garlic and dill is one of my favourite ways to deal with a glut. Given enough time they become meltingly soft, rich and deeply savoury. They're wonderful spooned onto toast or stirred through pasta with a little crumbled goat's cheese or feta.

This salad is a brighter, lighter affair. It's green, vibrant and very easy to throw together. I'm using leftover roast chicken here, but torn pieces of warm roast lamb work just as well.

Serves 3 - 4

Ingredients

  • 4 medium firm courgettes
  • 1 clove garlic, finely grated or very finely chopped
  • 1 bunch spring onions, finely sliced
  • Leaves from 1 small bunch mint
  • 1 small bunch dill, roughly chopped
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 Tbls olive oil, plus a little extra to finish
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 300g leftover roast chicken

Method

Slice the courgettes into rounds about the thickness of a £1 coin. Place them in a large bowl with the olive oil, garlic and a generous seasoning of salt and pepper. Toss well to coat.

Arrange the courgettes in a single layer on a large baking tray. Preheat the grill to high and cook for 6 to 10 minutes on each side, until golden and tender. The exact cooking time will depend on your grill and how close the tray sits to the element.

Return the warm courgettes to the bowl. Add the mint, spring onions, dill and lemon juice and toss everything together well.

Tear the chicken into bite-sized pieces and gently fold it through the warm courgettes. Finish with a little more olive oil and a final seasoning of salt and black pepper.

Serve while still warm, scattered with a few extra sprigs of dill or some fennel tops if you have them.

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