Raw Zucchini Salad with Olive Dressing

(Serves 4-6)

Ingredients

Salad

• 3 each green and yellow zucchini
• 1 small telegraph cucumber
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Dressing

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 8 large black olives, sliced
• 6 semi-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Method

Salad: Trim the ends of the zucchini and cucumber. Using a vegetable peeler or a mandolin, shave all the vegetables in long, thin strips. When shaving the cucumber, work your way around the core as you don’t want all the watery seeds in the salad.Place all the vegetables in a colander and toss with the vinegar then the salt, turning to coat. Leave for 15 minutes then tip onto a clean tea towel and pat dry.

Dressing: Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice and garlic in a bowl and season. Add the remaining ingredients then combine with the zucchini and cucumber, tossing gently to coat. Transfer to a shallow serving bowl and garnish with extra mint if desired.

John Hawkesby’s wine recommendation

Gruner Veitliner
Seifried 2010

Pinot Grigio
Corte Giara 2009