Grilled Vegetable Salad with Toasted Almonds and Goat Cheese
By Sally James. I call this my red wine drinker’s vegetarian dish with the deep flavours from the grill, the nuts and cheese adding the boldness to work wonderfully with even the deepest of red wines. My Aussie roots make me veer towards a fruit driven Pinot Noir such as the Yering Station.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 red peppers, halved with seeds removed
- 2 yellow peppers, halved with seeds removed
- 2 zucchini, sliced lengthways
- 2 small leek (or red onion), halved lengthwise
- 1 bunch asparagus, halved lengthways
- olive oil, for brushing
- 1 tbsp oregano leaves
- 2 cup watercress leaves, or arugula
- 3 oz soft goat cheese, crumbled
- 1 oz almonds, toasted
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp shallot, finely diced
DIRECTIONS
- Whisk together the dressing ingredients.
- Brush all the vegetables with oil. Place the peppers, zucchini and leek on a preheated grill or barbecue and grill for 2-3 minutes each side or until cooked as desired. Add asparagus in last minute of cooking.
- Place in a large bowl and season with the oregano, salt and pepper.
- Arrange on plates with the watercress, drizzle with the dressing and scatter with the almonds and goat cheese. Serve warm with a crusty loaf of bread, olive oil and balsamic.