Grilled Courgette And Walnut Salad With Macadamia Feta

Recipe and images courtesy of Romy London (@romylondonuk on Instagram)

This vegan grilled courgette salad with walnuts and vegan feta is packed with flavour and nutrition! Grilled courgette slices are combined with toasted chopped walnuts, crumbled vegan feta made from macadamia nuts, and wild rocket salad, then drizzled with a simple, yet divine dressing. The result is a delicious, satisfying salad that's perfect for a light lunch or dinner! 

Prep time: 25 minutes (not including soaking & fridge time for the feta)
Cook time: 20 minutes 

Ingredients:

Serves 2 as a main dish, 4 as a side salad 

• 4 courgettes, sliced lengthwise (roughly 800g)
• 2 tbsp olive oil to brush
• Salt & pepper to season
• 80g walnuts, chopped
• 50g wild rocket salad
• 80g of the macadamia feta (see below!) 

For the macadamia feta:

• 130g raw macadamia nuts
  - 190 ml filtered water
  - 1 tbsp agar agar powder
  - ¾ tsp sea salt + ½ tsp for the marinade
  - ? tsp citric acid
  - 60ml lemon juice
  - 60ml olive oil
  - 2 garlic cloves, sliced
  - 2 tbsp fresh herbs, e.g. dill, parsley, oregano

For the dressing:

• 60ml lemon juice
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• Salt & pepper to taste 

Method:

For the feta:

• Soak the macadamia nuts in water overnight or for 8 hours, then drain and rinse.
• In a high-speed blender, blend the nuts, filtered water, agar agar, salt, and citric acid on the highest speed for 4-5 minutes or until smooth and creamy.
• Heat the mixture in a non-stick pan over low/medium heat, stirring continuously, until it reaches 185°F (85°C). The mixture should start to thicken once it reaches the right temperature. Stir vigorously for 1 minute, then remove from heat.
• Pour the vegan feta mixture into a small spring form or a rectangular container and place it into the fridge for 1-2 hours to set.
• Once the feta is firm, remove it from the container and cut it into bite-size cubes.
• Mix vinegar or lemon juice, olive oil, sliced garlic, fresh herbs, and salt in a jar to create the marinade, then add the feta cubes. Make sure all cubes are coated in the marinade, then close the jar and place it in the fridge overnight. The feta cubes will soak up the flavors of the marinade and be ready to enjoy the next day.

For the salad:

1. Heat up your grill to medium-high. Brush the courgette slices with olive oil on both sides. Season with salt and pepper and place the slices on the grill. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side - you'll know they're done when you see grill marks and the courgette is tender. Remove the courgette from the grill and let it cool down a bit.
2. While waiting for the courgette to cool, toast the chopped walnuts in a dry skillet for about a minute until they're golden.
3. In a large bowl or on a serving platter, combine the grilled courgette, and toasted walnuts with wild rocket, then crumble 80g of the vegan feta on top.
4. For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a small food processor, then drizzle over the salad and toss to combine.
5. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve & enjoy! 

Recipe Notes:

• If you don't have macadamia nuts, you can use almonds instead, but it's best to remove the almond skins after the soaking process to create a smooth and light cheese.
• Make sure to use food-grade citric acid.

Nutrition Facts:

Serving size: half the recipe (served as main dish); Amount per serving