Grilled Courgettes with Yogurt, Mint, Dill and Chèvre
A simple, flavor-rich end-of-summer salad or main dish that makes the most of the abundance of courgettes (zucchinis).
Ingredients
- 2 whole courgettes (zucchinis)
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- fleur de sel
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- pinch red chili flakes optional
- 1 lemon zest of the lemon goes into the marinade, the juice is reserved to dress the salad when finished and ready to serve.
- 3 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped
- 6 fronds fresh dill, chopped
- 2 Tbsp chives, fresh, chopped
- 2 Tbsp whole milk yogurt, greek, plain (but full fat - for the flavor!)
- 50 grams chèvre (goat cheese)
- 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the courgettes by slicing them into long, flat ribbons after topping off the end and bottom. There is no need to peel the courgettes; in fact, the peel adds to the layers of flavor. The thinner the ribbon, the less cooking time will be necessary on the grill. The choice of thickness is up to you.
- Turn on your grill to medium heat. While the grill is warming up, make the marinade for the courgettes in a small-medium mixing bowl.
- Make the marinade: olive oil, fennel seeds, salt and pepper, lemon zest (red pepper flakes - optional). Toss to combine.
- Add the sliced courgettes into the marinade and toss so all are covered and dressed with the flavors of the marinade. You can do this ahead of time, and set aside until you are ready to grill, or you can grill immediately. The flavor will be there either way.
- At the grill: drizzle a couple tablespoons of olive oil on the grill. Place the ribbons on the hot grill (medium heat), two rounds may be necessary. Grill for 8-12 minutes on each side dependent on the width of your ribbons. Use tongs to flip the ribbons and see the lovely charred marks on the first side when you flip - wahoo! When finished, place the grilled courgettes on the platter you will be using for serving.
- While the courgettes are grilling, make the yogurt dressing in a small mixing bowl. Mix the three chopped fresh herbs (mint, dill, chives), garlic, yogurt, and chèvre. Set aside 1 tsp of each of the three herbs to sprinkle on top of the entire salad prior to serving.
- Now it's time to assemble the salad. Squeeze the fresh lemon juice over the salad, then add dollops of the yogurt dressing over the grilled courgettes. Finally, sprinkle the left-over freshly chopped herbs, and you are ready to enjoy! Pair with a crisp glass of white wine or rosé, and you have a meal read to be savored. :)