The weather has been gorgeous this week so it was time to get the BBQ out. Grilled sausages, lamb or pork chops are lovely just simply grilled on either a gas or charcoal BBQ but if you’re looking for something show-stopping to serve on the side, this leek and courgette dish is just the ticket. Pick nice fat leeks and courgettes, you don’t need to be too precise about quantities but one courgette and one leek serves two easily so scale it up or down however you like.

Serves 4

• 2 large courgettes cut into 4 equal pieces and sliced lengthwise. You end up with 16 chunks.
• 2 long, thick leeks
• 1 tsp light olive oil
• 1/4 medium red onion, sliced very thinly
• 1 tbsp pine nuts
• 1 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
• 2 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsps sherry vinegar
• Juice of half a lemon

To make…

• Mix the vinegar, lemon juice and a pinch of salt and pepper together in the base of a salad bowl. Add the thinly sliced red onion and mix it in. Allow it to stand for 15 minutes while your meat and vegetables cook. It will make the onion taste sweeter and less raw. Mix in the mustard and olive oil and check the seasoning. Add a little more oil or vinegar to taste. Set aside.
• Once your meat has cooked and the BBQ is still good and hot, you can cook the vegetables. Coat the courgettes and the leeks in very light coating of olive oil. Place the courgette pieces onto the grill and turn a couple of times during the cook. Place the leeks on the grill whole. The courgettes take about 10 to 15 minutes to grill. The whole leeks are going to get quite blackened on the outside and the inside will cook so it’s still moist and tasty inside.
• Once cooked, add the warm courgettes to the dressing. Peel off the outer blackened skin of the leek and cut the inside into 4 or 5 large chunks. Add to the courgette mixture. Toss the vegetables in the dressing, scatter the parsley and pine nuts over the top. I like to serve this warm with roast meat on the side.

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