Chargrilled asparagus, courgettes and manouri

⇐ Recipes from cookery books

Manouri is a greek semi-soft cheese that I've only seen on a Cypriot's occasional stall on the Dappermarkt. I often use Halloumi instead but Ottolengghi also suggests a light goat's cheese, in which case don't grill it.

The quantities makes a lot of salad, but it keeps OK for a couple of days. It needs a lot of tomatoes so don't skimp - I always underestimate I often don't bother with the basil oil - just add some basil leaves when making up the salad.

Ingredients

for the salad

bunch fresh green asparagus

350g cherry tomatoes halved

140ml olive oil

2 courgettes

200g manouri cheese, sliced 1-2cm thick

25g rocket

sea salt and pepper

for the dressing

75ml olive oil

1 garlic clove crushed

25g basil leaves

pinch of salt

¼ tsp ground black pepper

Method

1. Tomatoes Mix the cut tomatoes with 3 Tbsp olive oil, some salt and pepper. Spread on a baking tray lines with greaseproof paper and roast in the oven skin side down for 30-50 minutes until semi dried. It will depend on the size of the cherry tomatoes. Remove and leave to cool.
2. Asparagus & Courgettes Trim the woody bases and blanch the asparagus in boiling water for 4 minutes. Drain and refresh in cold water. When completely cold, drain thoroughly. Mix with 2 Tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper. Slice the courgettes very thinly lengthways. Mix with a Tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper.
3. Griddle pan Heat a griddle pan. When hot, griddle the asparagus and courgette to get nice colour marking on them. Griddle the cheese for a minute or two each side.
4. Basil oil Blitz all the ingredients together in a blender.
5. Assemble Arrange the rocket, vegetables and cheese in layers and dress with some of the basil oil.

Ottolenghi - the cookbook Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamini

halloumi salad