Barbecue Summer Salad

The sun is shining in London and the air starts feeling a bit warmer, this is not a feeling that stays very long here, if you have ever visited this country during this time of year you know what I’m talking about, the summers are short and its basically raining half of the time, no wonder that everyone hurries to wear the summer dresses and shorts while they can, it means it’s time for the legs to come out!

And what about the food ? I feel that it can’t be left behind and it should also be sexy and fresh, the produce is abundant in the markets and there is plenty of choice to make something delicious, the key is to combine different veggie textures, fresh salad leaves, a tasty protein and a simple vinaigrette.

I always prefer a nice simple dressing, lemon, limes or vinegar, with extra virgin olive oil and maldon salt, and for this recipe I added a bit of greek yogurt and grasshopper chili salt to marinate the tomatoes and love the way it gives a different touch to this dish.

This is a salad that its perfect to put together as you are having a barbecue and it can easily become a main or have as a side dish.

If you add the Spanish chorizo and onion into the grill you would get the amazing flavor from the charcoal into your salad, no better way to make this salad extra attractive than with this barbecued chorizo, but also you can make many variations of this same salad I love the kind of recipes that can provide many different ways of doing things and basically just make use of what you have at home.

Serves 2-3 as a main, 4-5 as a side dish.

Ingredients:

4 spicy sausages or 400 grams of spanish chorizo.

1 small red onion (peeled and halved) or 1 bunch of spring onions .

200 grams sugar snaps quickly cooked in hot water.

1 cup of cooked peas.

2 cups small of heirloom tomatoes (sliced in half). You can use cherry tomatoes alternatively.

1/2 cucumber (finely shaved with a mandolin or cut in thin slices with a knife).

1 tbsp greek yoghurt.

1 tsp grasshopper chili salt or a smoked salt (optional).

1 lemon (juice).

3 cups of watercress or pea shots.

3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil.

Maldon salt and black coarse pepper to taste.

Method

Prepare the grill and once the charcoal is hot enough add your sausages or chorizo, as well as your red onion pieces, cook your meat thoroughly and char your onions.

While the meat is cooking, marinate the tomatoes with the cucumber slices, add the greek yogurt, 1/2 lemon juice, 1 tbsp of the extra virgin olive oil and the grasshopper chili salt, mix all the ingredients with a spoon and reserve.

Then in a pretty large platter arrange your watercress or pea shots, add your sugar snaps and peas and scatter them around.

Remove the chorizo or sausages from the barbecue as well as the onion and cut them in smaller bite size pieces, add the meat and onion bits on top of your salad platter, and arrange evenly.

Then add your marinated tomatoes and cucumbers on top as well as the juices, squeeze the remaining lemon juice on top and drizzle the extra virgin olive oil all around your salad, add a good pinch of salt and finish it with the very important touch of black pepper, toss everything together and serve, enjoy the summer!