Marinated summer squash, kiwi salsa and toasted hazelnuts
One of the joys of summer cooking is limiting the time spent cooking. Raw Summer squash serves this purpose as they are delicious when eaten raw, especially when marinated first. Serve this dish alongside some tortillas or crunchy leaves to make it a meal.
Prep
15 min
Cook
12 min
Serving size
2 as a light lunch
Ingredients
¼ tsp fennel seeds, toasted and coarsely ground
⅛ tsp light brown sugar
¼ tsp finely shaved lemon zest
2 garlic cloves, peeled and bashed lightly
3 tbsp olive oil
20g squash blossoms (or large leaf spinach)
1 tbsp Moscatel vinegar
400g summer squash (or courgette), cut in oblique angles of about 3 to 4cm
1 tbsp hazelnuts, toasted and crushed coarsely
20g pecorino
Kiwi salsa:
4 firm kiwis (about 320g), peeled and coarsely grated
½ tsp of freshly grated ginger
1 red chilli (10g), stem removed, finely chopped (deseeded if you prefer less heat)
10g coriander, roughly chopped
10g parsley, roughly chopped
5g mint, picked and roughly chopped
5g basil, picked and roughly chopped
Method
1. In a small bowl, mix the fennel seed, sugar and lemon zest with ⅛ teaspoon of salt and rub together with your fingers. Set aside.
2. Add the garlic and two tablespoons of oil to a medium sized frying pan. Place on a medium-high heat and cook for 4 minutes, until sizzling and golden. Stir in the blossoms and cook for 30 seconds, until wilted. Pour in the vinegar, mix well and remove from the heat. Place in a large mixing bowl, along with the squash, nuts, remaining oil, half of the fennel seed mix, ¼ teaspoon of salt and good grind of pepper. Mix gently and set aside to marinate for ten minutes.
3. For the kiwi salsa, place all the ingredients in a medium sized bowl and mix well.
4. To assemble, place the squash salad, with all of the marinade, onto a large plate. Spoon over the kiwi salsa and grate the pecorino over finely. Serve with the remaining fennel mix sprinkled over.