Grilled Vegetable & White Cheese Salad
380 kcal per serving · 13g protein
Charred peppers, courgette and red onion with salty crumbled sirene is what a Bulgarian summer tastes like. The vegetables go soft and smoky on a hot grill pan, then get a sharp splash of vinegar while still warm. It's a proper main-course salad — just add bread.
Open in Mixit →Ingredients
- Bell pepper × 1
- Courgette × 1
- Red onion × 1
- 60 g Sirene (white brine cheese)
- 1 tbsp Olive oil, plus 1 tsp for finishing
- 2 tsp Red wine vinegar
- 1 pinch Salt
- 1 pinch Black pepper
Method
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Cut the pepper into quarters
Cut the pepper into quarters and pull out the seeds and white ribs.
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Slice the courgette lengthways
Slice the courgette lengthways into strips about 1 cm thick.
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Cut the red onion
Cut the red onion into thick rings, keeping the rings together.
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Oil the Vegetables
Put all the vegetables in a bowl, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a good pinch of salt, and turn them with your hands until every piece looks lightly glossy.
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Heat the Pan
Set a dry grill pan (or a heavy frying pan) over high heat and let it get properly hot for about 3 minutes — a drop of water should hiss and vanish instantly. No oil goes in the pan; it's already on the vegetables.
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Lay the vegetables
Lay the vegetables in the pan in a single layer — in two batches if needed, never piled up.
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Leave them alone
Leave them alone for 3–4 minutes per side, until they have dark charred stripes and feel floppy when lifted with tongs. Peppers and onion take a minute or two longer than courgette.
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Dress While Warm
Pile the warm vegetables onto a plate, splash over the red wine vinegar and the last teaspoon of olive oil, and grind over black pepper. Warm vegetables soak up dressing much better than cold ones.
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Crumble the Sirene
Crumble the sirene over the top with your fingers and serve while the vegetables are still warm, so the cheese softens slightly against them.