Conjure up a moreish, meze-style veggie platter using a variety of colourful produce. Whizz up a butterbean tahini and enjoy the spread in the sunshine
INGREDIENT :
1 lemon
1 large red pepper, deseeded and quartered
1 large courgette (about 225g), sliced into rounds the thickness of a £1 coin
1 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil, plus a drizzle (under 1 tsp)
400g butter beans, drained, liquid reserved
1 tbsp tahini
1 garlic clove
2 cooked beetroot (not in vinegar), sliced (165g)
1 tbsp chopped dill
½ small red onion, finely chopped
100g natural yogurt
a pinch of smoked paprika
6 pitted Kalamata olives, halved
handful of mint leaves, chopped if large
extra virgin olive oil for drizzling, (optional)
RECIPE DIRECTION :
Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Peel a strip of zest from the lemon and finely chop it. Rub the pepper and courgette with a small drizzle of olive oil, then arrange in a single layer on a baking tray (the pepper should be skin-side down). Scatter the the chopped lemon zest over the pepper, then roast for 30 mins, turning the courgettes over halfway through.
Meanwhile, tip the butter beans into a bowl with 2 tbsp of the liquid from the can. Squeeze over the juice of the lemon that you pared the zest from, then add the tahini, 1 tbsp oil and the garlic, and blitz with a hand blender until smooth, adding more liquid from the can if it’s too thick. Taste and add a little salt, if needed.
Spoon the mixture onto plates, then top with the beetroot, dill and onion, then the courgettes. Drizzle over the yogurt, then sprinkle with paprika. Scatter over the peppers, olives and mint, then drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, if you like.
