we’ve been benefiting from the generosity of several friends whose garden bounty has over-whelmed them. it’s a great treat and the provision of fresh (and free!) vegetables is always guaranteed to inspire me.

courgettes have been in plentiful supply and i’ve had more than enough to indulge one of my favourite salads of courgette ribbons. sadly, the weather we’ve been having has not been conducive to eating salads and something a little more warming was what i needed.

this salad is a very simple variation the courgettes are cut thicker and griddled before being added to a lemon and basil dressing – perfect with white fish or roast chicken, give it a try!

this is my contribution to la festa al fresco which is a celebration of cooking with seasonal food and is hosted by ivonne at cream puffs in venice and lis from la mia cucina.

lemon basil courgette salad (serves 2 as a side dish)

2-3 courgettes, sliced lengthways in strips that are 2-3mm thick

zest of ½ a lemon

juice of 1 lemon

olive oil

handful of basil leaves

salt and freshly ground black pepper

heat a griddle pan* and cook the courgette strips until they begin to soften.

in the meantime, in a large bowl mix the lemon zest and juice together. add olive oil until you have a dressing with the right balance of lemon and oil (3-4 tablespoons was enough for me).

add the griddled courgette as it is cooked. when the courgette is all mixed with the dressing stir in the basil and season well. serve at room temperature.

* alternatively you can grill or bbq the courgette strips

other courgette recipes:

stuffed marrow (august 2006)

caponata (january 2007)

courgette, lemon and feta tart with roasted cherry tomatoes (august 2007)