Courgette, green bean and feta salad

• courgettes↗3 medium

  (about 600-700 g), sliced 2 cm thick

• green beans↗300g g

  trimmed

• feta↗2 x 200g blocks of g

  each cut in half

• olive oil↗4 tbsp tbsp
• garlic cloves↗4

  minced

• chervil↗bunch of

  leaves gathered

• red chilies↗2

  finely sliced (optional)

• oranges↗3

  with zest

• fresh breadcrumbs↗50g g
• forest nuts75g g

  coarsely chopped

• extra virgin olive oil↗4 tbsp tbsp

  for serving

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Arrange the courgettes and green beans on a tray. Place the feta in a small heat‑proof dish – a small enamel baking dish works well, or you can even bake it on a sheet of foil. Drizzle 3 tbsp of olive oil over the vegetables and the remaining 1 tbsp over the feta. Add about two‑thirds of the garlic and chervil to the vegetables, together with most of the chilies if using, then sprinkle the rest onto the feta, leaving a little chervil. Sprinkle zest from 2 oranges over the vegetables and the rest over the feta. Season the feta generously with freshly ground black pepper and season the vegetables well with salt and pepper. Mix the vegetables and transfer them to a bowl. Cover both and keep in the refrigerator until ready. They can be stored under a lid in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

2. 2

   Spread the breadcrumbs on a tray and toss them to absorb the remaining marinade, then transfer to a bowl and add the forest nuts. They can be stored under a lid in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

3. 3

   Using a sharp knife, cut a thin slice off the top and bottom of each orange, keeping the zest. Peel the skin in strips, removing as much of the white pith as possible, then, holding the orange in your hand, cut off both sides of the membrane that separates the segments. Squeeze the remaining flesh into a bowl and repeat with the other orange. If you’re not confident with the technique, simply slice the oranges thinly – they will still be tasty.

4. 4

   When you’re ready to cook, light the barbecue, preparing it for direct and indirect grilling (see our guide on how to light a barbecue), lighting the charcoal on only one side. Or, if using a gas barbecue, simply light half the burners. This allows you to control the temperature by moving the food closer or farther from the heat during cooking. Place a pan directly over the fire. When it heats up, add the breadcrumb and forest‑nut mixture. Stir over the heat for a few minutes until crisp and golden, then remove the pan from the barbecue and set aside.

5. 5

   Grill the vegetables in batches over direct heat, starting with the courgettes, then the beans. Grill each side for a few minutes until they are browned and become tender, transferring them to a serving plate during the process. This will take about 30 minutes.

6. 6

   Place the dish or foil with the feta on the grill grates, a short distance from the fire, and close the barbecue lid (or cover with foil). Cook for about 10 minutes until the cheese softens – it will not melt.

7. 7

   While the feta cooks, add the orange segments to the grilled vegetables and sprinkle the forest‑nut crumble over them. Mix well.

8. 8

   When the cheese is ready, use a fish spatula to lift it from the dish and spread it over the vegetables and oranges. Drizzle generously with extra‑virgin olive oil and the remaining chilies and chervil, then serve.