Blistered Tzatziki Salad

Blistered Tzatziki Salad

Blistered cucumber, fresh onion and kohlrabi

Tzatziki has become a bit of a generic term for using yoghurt to dress summer vegetables, with many chefs using all kinds of veg (myself included). So not really sticking to the roots of tzatziki, more taking inspiration from the concept.

Cucumber really is the star of this show, the onion and kohlrabi are more of a seasoning to enhance the dish. Both have flavours that bring out the subtilties of cucumber rather than overpower.

An almost thirst quenching freshness of this salad is thanks to the cucumber, however the skin can be a little tough and hard to digest at times. This is where blistering on charcoal is the secret weapon. The intense heat doesn’t cook the flesh, it simply takes the edge off the skin and leaves a pleasant yet mild char flavour.

Serves 4 as a side
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:
1 cucumber
1 kohlrabi
3 fresh onions
Honey
Yoghurt
Mint
Oregano
Sea salt flakes and black pepper
Light a BBQ and wait for the charcoal to be very hot.

1. This recipe works beautifully on the BBQ, making the most of the intense heat right at the beginning while the coals are still raging hot. If you use a chimney starter, this is the perfect stage.
2. Lightly oil your hands and coat the cucumber and the peeled onions with oil. Place them directly on the charcoal and rapidly turn allowing the skin to blister black most of the way round. Remove and allow to cool.
3. Peel and grate the kohlrabi, reserving the leaves and stem. Finely slice these and mix with the grated bulb. Add enough vinegar to lightly dress and season with a little salt. Leave this to marinade briefly.
4. In the meantime the cucumber and onion should have cooled enough to handle. Cut the cucumber in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds. Slice and add to a large bowl.
5. Slice the onion and add to the bowl along with the marinated kohlrabi and a small teaspoon of honey. Season to taste.
6. Chop a handful of mint and oregano and mix into the vegetables with enough yoghurt to bind everything together. Enjoy!

Serve with lamb straight from the BBQ or feta and flatbreads.

Chef Notes:

1. This recipe is just as delicious with the vegetables straight from the fridge. Add the sliced onion to the marinading kohlrabi for at least 10 minutes to soften it.