In summer I like to give seasonal fruits and vegetables the moment they deserve, cooking them as little as possible. Except, of course, when given the chance to grill outdoors. I am not a cook who believes in scorching food with the hardest sear or deepest grill marks, but I cannot resist a hint of the intoxicating flavour ingredients take on when they are just kissed by flames. Applied judiciously and with purpose, a basic grill is all you need to elevate even the most basic salads, making them the stars of your meal.
Grilled lettuce and halloumi salad with herby sherry vinaigrette (pictured top)
This simple salad can be enjoyed without any grilling. But in summer, I try to eat as much as possible on our small Brooklyn patio; if the grill is lit anyway, I love to add extra dimensions to these ingredients with char and smoke. A bold sherry vinaigrette, with a touch of sweetness and lots of fresh herbs, makes a balanced and beautiful dressing.
Prep 15 min
Cook 10 min
Serves 4-6
2 tbsp finely chopped shallot
2 tsp dijon mustard
Flaky salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp sherry vinegar
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
2 tbsp chopped mixed soft herbs (mint, parsley and chives), plus more for garnish
2 romaine hearts or 3 little gem heads, quartered lengthwise
1 medium head radicchio, quartered lengthwise
250g halloumi cheese, cut into 2cm-thick slices
For the dressing, whisk the shallot, dijon, a big pinch of salt, some grinds of black pepper and sherry vinegar together in a medium bowl. Leave to sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes (this helps soften the sharpness of the shallot). Slowly drizzle in the oil, whisking constantly until emulsified. Fold in the herbs and set aside.
For the salad, heat a grill or set a griddle pan to a medium heat – if using the latter, brush it generously with oil. If you are using the grill, lightly brush the lettuce quarters with olive oil. Grill/griddle the lettuce, in batches if needed, until tender and just charred – about two minutes a side. Remove from the heat and season each quarter with salt and black pepper. Repeat with the radicchio, season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Finally, grill the halloumi slices until grill marks appear – about two minutes each side. Remove from the grill and cut into rough cubes. Meanwhile, once the radicchio has cooled enough to handle, coarsely chop the leaves and core.
To assemble, arrange the romaine wedges and radicchio pieces in a wide, shallow bowl. Lightly spoon over the dressing, then scatter the halloumi cubes on top. Garnish with the extra herbs, salt and black pepper. Serve immediately.
Grilled stone fruit salad with fermented honey, manchego and crisp prosciutto
A go-to summer salad of stone fruit at its peak, grilled gently, and tossed with some of my favourite savoury things: toasted seeds, manchego, crisp prosciutto. On a recent trip to Grenada, I learned how to make fermented honey, a garlicky, spicy elixir which I’ve become obsessed with using in salads, meat or fish marinades, or with cheese at any hour. Here, a final drizzle of it brings the whole dish together, but use plain honey for a quick fix. Since the fruit is grilled when still slightly firm, the salad should hold up well for outdoor lunches or picnics.
Prep 15 min
Cook 15 min
Serves 4
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
3 firm-ripe nectarines, halved, pitted and sliced into 1.5cm thick pieces
3 firm-ripe plums, halved, pitted and sliced into 1.5cm thick pieces
4 slices prosciutto
225g cherries, halved and pitted (for 150g)
Flaky salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
60g manchego cheese, thinly sliced and crumbled
1 tsp sesame seeds, toasted if preferred
2 tbsp honey (or fermented honey – see below for recipe)
10g picked mint, basil or other soft herb, roughly torn
Add the pumpkin seeds to a small frying pan set over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the seeds are fragrant and lightly golden – three to four minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Heat a grill or set a griddle pan to a medium heat – if using the latter, brush it generously with olive oil. If you are using the grill, lightly brush the nectarines and plums with oil.
Grill the nectarine and plum pieces, in batches if necessary, until just tender and grill marks appear – two to three minutes each side. Remove to a plate to cool.
Grill the prosciutto until golden and crisp – about two minutes each side. Set aside to cool, then roughly chop into bite-size pieces.
Transfer the grilled stone fruit to a shallow serving bowl. Sprinkle with the halved cherries, season with a big pinch of salt and several grinds of pepper to taste, and drizzle with the olive oil. Scatter the prosciutto and cheese over top of the fruit, followed by the toasted pumpkin and sesame seeds. Drizzle honey over everything and finish with fresh herbs before serving.
Fermented honey
You will need a 500ml heatproof glass jar. To sterilise, submerge the jar in a large pot of boiling water for 10 minutes then carefully remove with tongs and leave to air dry and cool completely.
Prep 15 min
Ferment 7 days
Makes 1 x 500ml jar
6 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
2 cinnamon sticks, broken into a few pieces
30g fresh turmeric and/or ginger, cut into a few pieces
340g raw unfiltered honey
Put the garlic, peppercorns, cinnamon, turmeric and/or ginger at the bottom of the jar. Carefully pour the honey over it. Seal the jar and allow it to sit out in a cool, dry place for 48 hours. Open the jar to release any gases. Using a clean spoon, give the honey a good stir. Reseal the jar and let it sit again, stirring once daily for about a week before using. Stored at room temperature, fermented honey lasts up to 12 months.
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