Hermione's Pantry

Here is yet another salad bowl. Summer is just about deciding to finally appear in the Highlands. We’ve had brief glimpses of sunny weather with clouds but not warm enough to just wear a top and no jumper yet. I’m hoping that by the time it is my birthday I will be eating dinner outside in the sun, maybe wishful thinking but I’m ever hopeful!

I’ve wanted to roast butter beans for a while so when the chance presented itself I jumped on it. They are wonder roasted, still wonderfully creamy but with a crispy coating to add great texture. I love the freshness of this salad and is packed with protein too from the butter beans. I have always been a fan of shaved courgette and can not wait for our homegrown courgettes to be ready! I think I might have a bit of an obsession with smoked paprika at the moment as I seem to be putting it in everything, but it works really well in this. This can be eaten on its own or enjoyed with a wonderful loaf of bread such as my rosemary plait.

Butter Bean, Courgette and Feta Salad

Ingredients (serves one) 

• Half a tin of butter beans
• 1/2 red chilli, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 courgette
• Handful spinach, wilted
• 1/2 lemon, juice and zest
• 1/2 garlic clove, grated
• 15g feta
• Handful fresh mint
• 10 leaves fresh oregano
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C. Place the butter beans on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil, add the smoked paprika, chilli and salt and pepper, then mix until all of the butter beans are coated. Place in the oven and cook for 10 minutes.
2. Using a potato peeler, shave the courgette into ribbons. Place them into a bowl, then add 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, the juice and zest of the lemon, garlic, mint and oregano, stir thoroughly ensuring all of the courgette is covered in the dressing. 
3. Place the spinach into the bowl, add the butter beans and then crumble the feta over the top. 

Enjoy! H x