How to make courgette and fennel salad with crispy capers

Courgettes grow easily, with little interference from slugs, and you’ll more than likely end up with a glut – luckily they’re versatile enough to be widely used in the kitchen

Switch to a plant-based cheese to make this dish vegan (Photography by Julia Platt Leonard)

Plant a courgette and you’re sorted. They earn their spot in the veg patch and seem to be the one thing the slugs and snails won’t devour.

Their blossoms are an electric yellow-orange and beg to be deep-fried.

Best of all, once they get going, they’ll keep you stocked for the summer.

Pick them small and they’re so tender they don’t need any cooking.

Slice them thinly – a mandoline is a big help – and pair with shaved fennel.

Lots of lemon, a healthy glug of olive oil, some crispy capers, a bit of cheese (skip if you want to keep it vegan) and basil leaves, and your summer salad is sorted.

Courgette and fennel salad with crispy capers

Serves 4-6 as a side dish

300g courgettes, about 3 small ones 
1 bulb of fennel
1 lemon, zest and juice
2½ tbsp olive oil
2tbsp capers, soaked in brine
Small handful basil leaves
Crumbled feta or goat’s cheese (optional)

Place the capers on a piece of kitchen roll to dry off.

To make the salad, place the lemon juice and zest in a mixing bowl. Trim the very end off the stems of the courgettes but leave the rest. Slice thinly on a mandolin or use a knife.

Place the slices in the mixing bowl. Cut off the stems of the fennel and save any fronds. Slice the bulb in half lengthways and remove the core. Slice the fennel on the mandolin and add to the courgettes.

Add 1½tbsp of oil and some salt and pepper to the vegetables. Toss gently to ensure all the vegetables are coated with lemon and oil.

Place the remaining tablespoon of oil in a small frying pan and heat to medium-high. Add the capers and fry for a minute or two until crisp. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Place the courgette and fennel slices on a platter. Garnish with the fennel fronds, basil leaves, crispy capers and cheese, if using.

@juliapleonard