Zucchini, Pea and Smoked Ricotta Salad
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Zucchini, Pea and Smoked Ricotta Salad
Recipe by Michael Weldon
Ingredients
smoked ricotta
250g ricotta
¼ cup Squeaky Gate extra virgin olive oil
2 thyme sprigs
¼ tsp pepper
½ lemon, sliced thinly
salad
3 zucchinis, cut into chunks
4 patty pan squash, cut into 8ths
200g green beans
150g peas, fresh or frozen
½ bunch of mint leaves, save some to garnish
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
½ lemon, zest and juice
Squeaky Gate extra virgin olive oil
Sea Salt
Raco griddle pan
Method
In a container with a tight lid combine the ricotta, extra virgin olive oil, thyme, pepper, pinch of salt and lemon slice. Using a smoking gun smoke the ricotta mixture with your choice of flavoured wood. Allow smoke to flavour the cheese for 10 minutes. * If you don’t have a smoking gun you can wrap in foil and place in a pan with wood chips, and tea leaves for around a minute. Remove from heat and keep covered to infuse flavour.
Heat a griddle pan or BBQ until it smokes. Dress the zucchini, squash and green beans with extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt. Grill until the vegetables are just cooked and have bar marks. Once cooked add to a bowl along with the peas, mint, lemon, a few spoons of the oil from the ricotta mixture, a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss together until the vegetables are evenly dressed.
Serve the salad on the base of a platter. Top with the ricotta, lemon slices and drizzle some extra virgin extra olive oil. Garnish with pine nuts and extra mint leaves.
