Running out of ideas for fast, low-calorie, but nutritious options that you can enjoy on these hot summer days? Don’t worry, I’m here for you with a refreshing treat that brings the best out of the courgettes and cherry tomatoes our gardens are blooming with at this time of the year!
Combine pan-seared courgettes, roasted cherry tomatoes, pearl barley and beluga lentils, top it with a drizzle of tangy caper dressing, and your courgette salad is ready!
So, what will you need for this summer courgette salad?
- Courgettes
- Cherry tomatoes
- Barley
- Beluga lentils
- Capers
- Dijon mustard
- Rice vinegar
- Olive oil
- Lemon juice
- Parsley leaves
What are beluga lentils?
You will recognise them as small, black, dense seeds, looking a lot like beluga caviar, after which they got their name. They are also referred to as black lentils. They are three times smaller than their relatives, brown and green ones. They are crazy nutritious, tasty, and so easy to use since they don’t require prior soaking and cook in only 25 minutes.
If you are not a big lover of lentils, give these ones a shot and you may change your mind!
Which type of barley to choose?
Barley is a nutritious grain that I feel is usually overlooked.
Depending on how the grain was processed, you will find whole grain (hulled, hulless) or refined (pot, pearl) varieties.
Hulled and hulless have the outer layer of the grain preserved, carrying more vitamins, minerals and fibre than the processed ones.
If you have more time or are cooking barley in a larger amount for the days ahead, go with the whole grain ones. But if you are on a tight schedule, follow my steps for cooking pearl barley.
Barley contains gluten; that is precisely why this salad is not gluten-free. For a gluten-free option, choose quinoa, amaranth or simply brown rice. They will be great substitutes.
Now, when we have all the ingredients we need, let’s get cooking!
How do you make courgette strips?
Courgette strips are basically what we get when slicing courgette lengthwise. The most important thing is that the strips are an even thickness throughout the length, allowing them to cook evenly.
The easiest way to get perfect courgette strips is by using a mandoline. It is a type of slicer with an adjustable blade which helps you choose the desired thickness and get even slices out.
Important: Always put a plastic protector between the food and your fingers, as I’m showing in the following picture; it will prevent potential drama.
You could also use a peeler, but you will get slightly too thin strips for this cooking method. Those are better when marinated and eaten raw. Using this method, you will get only a small amount of leftover courgettes. Keep it in a plastic container and just toss it into a soup, stew or sauce.
My way of pan-searing courgettes
Before putting courgette strips on the grill pan, I gently brush them with a thin layer of oil. After they finish cooking, I sprinkle them with salt and lemon juice.
Adding salt, in the beginning, would encourage the release of water, but like this, they keep more flavours and juices inside.
Adding a sprinkle of lemon juice will further enhance the natural courgette flavour. As you may already know: acidity enhances flavours. Very often, good things are not complicated at all, and simply adding lemon juice to your pan-seared courgette strips is a definite proof… sooo good!
How to get the best roasted tomatoes?
Roasting tomatoes is the most straightforward task in this salad recipe. Still, there is a minor detail that I feel is often overlooked. Always, when roasting cherry tomatoes (or almost any other fruit or vegetable), remember this one thing that will make the difference: before you spread out tomatoes on the baking tray, coat them evenly with olive oil and salt, mixing them in a bowl. It will allow even cooking, giving beautifully roasted cherry tomatoes.
What goes in this caper dressing?
This caper dressing is the real essence of this courgette salad recipe. It is super easy and simple, requires only four ingredients (which you probably have at home) and is done in just a minute!
You will need:
- capers
- Dijon mustard
- rice vinegar
- olive oil
It carries a nice amount of pungency from the capers and the mustard, finishing with a hint of sweetness from the rice vinegar. It has a thicker consistency, which allows it to coat the rest of the ingredients beautifully.
How to serve this salad?
The great thing about this salad is its versatility. First, you can serve it as a warm or a cold salad; it won’t affect its deliciousness.
And second, you can serve it with a range of protein sources, from different kinds of cheese, fish and meat, or even enjoy it on its own.
