Name: Zucchini and pinenut salad
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 1½ tbsp pinenuts; 1½ tbsp currants; 3 medium zucchini,cut lengthwise into 3mm slices; pinch salt; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; ½ lemon,finely zested; 10 mint leaves,roughly torn; 50g shanklish cheese,crumbled; pinch black Turkish chilli

Serve at room temperature:zucchini,pine nut and currant salad.Marcel Aucar

easyTime:<30 minsServes:4

This tasty middle-eastern take on a simple salad is perfect as a side dish or for a mid-week dinner.

Ingredients

1½ tbsp pinenuts
1½ tbsp currants
3 medium zucchini,cut lengthwise into 3mm slices
pinch salt
1 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
½ lemon,finely zested
10 mint leaves,roughly torn
50g shanklish cheese,crumbled
pinch black Turkish chilli

Method

Toast the pinenuts in a frying pan until golden. Soak the currants in warm water for 10 minutes then drain. Preheat a barbecue or char-grill pan.
Gently toss the zucchini with the salt,lemon juice and half the olive oil. Grill the zucchini strips for 1 minute on each side until they are lightly grill-marked and wilted but not overcooked.
To serve,toss the zucchini with the lemon zest,pinenuts,currants and remaining olive oil. Arrange on a serving plate,scatter with the mint,shanklish and Turkish chilli and serve at room temperature.

FRANK'S TIPS
- I prefer not to put the zucchini salad in the fridge,as it dulls the flavour.
- Shanklish cheese is a soft middle-eastern cheese coated in spices