Seasonal recipe for July

Courgette and red pepper salad

The spirit and brilliant colours of the Mediterranean are caught in this salad. If you have a jar of preserved lemons to hand, add a spoonful, finely chopped, to the dressing.

Feeds 8. Takes 45 mins.

3 sweet red peppers

2tbsp olive oil

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1tbsp salted capers, rinsed

5 courgettes

2tbsp picked parsley leaves

2tbsp small black olives

2tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1tbsp lemon juice

Bake the red peppers at 180C/Gas mark 4 for 20 minutes, or until the skin blisters and starts to blacken. Remove and place in a covered bowl for ten minutes. Peel off the skin, cut in half and discard the core and seeds. Cut flesh into thin strips, and toss with half the olive oil and the sea salt, pepper and capers.

Heat the grill or barbecue. Slice the courgettes thinly lengthwise, brush with remaining olive oil and grill for five or six minutes, turning once. Arrange the courgettes casually on a large platter and strew with the roasted peppers, parsley and black olives.

Whisk the olive oil and lemon juice with sea salt and pepper, and drizzle over the lot.