This has to be one of the tastiest salads ever. Rendering taste to this rustic dish are grilled vegetables, fruity olive oil, zesty lemon and fresh herbs.
The marinated vegetables are pan-grilled, and have a smoky flavour that works very well with the tangy dressing and salty feta.
To make this salad, you don’t need a fancy outdoor grill or even an oven. All you need is a grill pan or a regular griddle (if you are not very particular about the grill marks).
Whether you want an accompaniment for your main meals or filler for your sandwiches or just choose to have it as a meal, this is a healthy and filling salad.
Ingredients
- Zucchini – 2
- Baby eggplants – 2
- Capsicum (I have used the red one) – 1
- Tomato – 1, halved
- Onion – 1
- Feta cheese – 4 tblspns
- Chilli flakes – 1 tspn
For the dressing:
- Fresh/dried herbs of your choice (I have used a mix of basil and marjoram) – 1 tablespoon
- Lemon juice – 3 to 4 tblspns
- Salt and pepper – To taste
- Oil – 3 tblspns
Directions
- To prepare the marinade, add the ingredients listed under ‘For the dressing’ into a large bowl. Give it a good mix and keep aside.
- Cut the zucchini and eggplants into thin slices. This will help them cook evenly.
- Cut the onions into thick rings.
- Make little strips out of the capsicum.
- Place all the cut vegetables including the tomato halves into the bowl with the marinade.
- With clean hands, toss and coat the vegetables in the marinade. Ensure that the vegetables are properly coated in the marinade.
- Once done, allow the vegetables to marinate for about 30 to 40 minutes.
- When you are ready to grill, heat the pan. Brush it with oil, if you like.
- Strain the liquid from the marinade, and reserve it to dress the salad.
- Place the marinated vegetable slices on the grill pan. Place as many as you can fit in the pan.
- On high heat, allow the veggies to grill. Turn the sides to allow them to cook on the other side. Repeat the process till the vegetables start to brown on the sides, and are adequately cooked on the insides.
- Do the same for the remaining marinated vegetables.
- Assemble the vegetables on a serving plate. Sprinkle feta cheese on top of the salad.
- Drizzle the reserved marinade on the salad.
- Serve warm with crusty breads or with main meals.
Tips:
- I have used vegetables that were readily available in my fridge. Use winter/summer squashes, corn or other vegetables of your choice.
- I have used feta because I like the combination of the cheese and vegetables. You may also grill haloumi and serve with the salad. If you don’t like cheese, skip it.
- You could also use other herbs of your choice for the dressing.
- While these veggies are pan-grilled, you could do the same with a BBQ grill.
