Tunisian Grilled Salad
This recipe brings together the charred and smoky flavors of tomatoes, onions, garlic, and green chillies, all combined into a delightful salad. The charring process infuses the vegetables with a unique depth of flavor, complemented by the warmth of turmeric, zesty lemon juice, and the richness of olive oil. This versatile dish can be enjoyed on its own as a salad or paired with various meats or as a relish with burgers. The addition of tuna or boiled egg provides extra protein, making it a satisfying and flavorful meal.
— Constant Cookbook
Ingredients
- 3 medium tomatoes
- 1 medium red onion or 6 spring onions
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 6 large mild green chillies (jalepeno are a good match)
- 75 ml Olive Oil
- 1 Lemon
- Salt
- Pepper
- Tumeric
- BBQ Grill Cage or wire cake rack
- Optional: Small tin of drained Tuna or Halved boiled egg
Instructions
- This dish can be made on the BBQ or on the Gas Hob, or using a kitchen blow torch. The method I will refer to uses the gas hob.
- Wash all the vegetables well leaving the skin on. Place inside the BBQ wire grilling cage or if you're feeling adventurous directly onto a wire cake rack set over the largest burner of your gas hob set at a medium flame.
- You may have to do this in batches but basically you want to blacken and blister the skin on the vegetables, charring them. Once they are evenly charred/blackened all over remove them from the heat and place them inside a ziplock bag. Leave them in there until all the vegetables have been charred. This makes the skins of the tomatoes and chillies slip off easily.
- Take the vegetables out and slip of the skins of the tomato and place them into a bowl, do the same for the green chillies. Remove the papery skin from the garlic and onion and then roughly chop the vegetables before either blitzing them together in a food processor, being careful not to do this too finely or using a hand mouli push them through to get a nice even consistancy. Alternatively you can do this using a large chopping board and good sharp knife, running your knife through them and mixing as you go on the board until it all comes together evenly
- Next add the turmeric, salt and ground black pepper to taste and a squeeze of lemon and a couple of tablespoons of really good olive oil. Mix well and taste. Adjust seasoning if required. Maybe more oil, maybe more lemon - the oil has to be good and this is an oil salad. If its too think you can add a little cold water but I never need to as I always leave the tomato seeds in giving more flavour and more juice.
- To serve add optional tuna or boiled egg and lots of crusty bread which you dip and scoop the yummy salad with. Fantastic with grilled lamb chops, chicken, or fish. Excellent spread onto a baguette and then loaded with cooked leftover roast chicken. Fab as a relish with burgers and however else you fancy it. I use mild large green chillies but you could always use a couple of fat green chillies and temper the flavour with a red/green or orange sweet pepper to add a more subtle note of heat.
Yield
Serves 6
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