Courgette ribbons, lemon and toasted hazelnuts
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A vegetable peeler changes the character of a courgette. Long, thin ribbons fold around a fork and take a light dressing without needing a bowlful of sauce. Small, firm courgettes work best; stop peeling when you reach the soft seedy centre.
For 2 side portions, use 2 small courgettes, about 300g; 20g hazelnuts; 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; 2 teaspoons lemon juice; ½ teaspoon lemon zest; 15g shaved vegetarian hard cheese; 6 mint leaves; black pepper; and a small pinch of salt. This contains hazelnuts and milk.
Toast the hazelnuts in a dry pan over medium heat for 4–5 minutes, shaking often, until fragrant. Cool and chop roughly. Wash the courgettes and trim their ends. Peel into ribbons with a vegetable peeler, turning each courgette as you work. Discard any courgette that tastes unusually bitter; cooking does not make a bitter one safe.
Whisk the oil, lemon juice, zest and salt in a wide bowl. Toss the ribbons gently with the dressing immediately before serving. Fold onto a plate, then add nuts, cheese, torn mint and pepper. Allow 15 minutes. Avoid squeezing or massaging the ribbons: their fine structure is part of the pleasure.
The salad is best freshly dressed. Slice only what you need, or keep undressed ribbons covered in the fridge for a few hours and add the nuts at the last moment. A yellow courgette makes a beautiful variation without changing the method. Use the leftover seeded centre in a cooked soup rather than forcing it into this salad.