This is a salad built for fire and for summer.
It’s perfect for braais where the baby marrow and sweet corn can go straight onto the grill but a griddle pan works just fine. it’s also a great way to use up baby marrows when they’re abundant and everywhere.
Instead of roasting or stir-frying (which can leave them limp and watery), charring keeps them crisp, and full of character. The goal here is contrast: charred edges, fresh herbs, creamy feta, and a sharp, simple dressing that brings everything together.
Treating the baby marrow
Scored salted marrow
Baby marrow holds a lot of water, so how you prep it matters.
I score the baby marrow lightly and salt and pepper them with a drizzle of canola oil before they go anywhere near the fire. This draws out excess moisture, helps them soften quickly, and means they don’t need long cooking keeping them crunchy rather than soggy
charred baby marrow
Lightly oil the marrow and grill on the braai or griddle pan until golden brown. The scoring helps create beautiful grill marks.
Ingredients
4 large baby marrows, charred and sliced on a bias
2 sweet corn, charred and shucked
1 pickled jalapeño, finely chopped (for heat and acidity)
1 avocado, diced
1½ blocks feta (or as much or as little as you like)
½ red onion, thinly sliced
Fresh coriander, chopped
Bringing it all together
Once everything is charred and prepped, this salad comes together quickly. Add all the ingredients to a large bowl or serving platter and combine gently. You want everything mixed, but not crushed.
The dressing
Simple, unfussy, and ideal for braais. No jars, extra bowls or whisking.
A generous sprinkle of salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
A generous glug of olive oil
Pour everything over the salad, toss gently, and stop there. The feta, lemon, and olive oil do all the work.
At the table
This salad is best served at room temperature. It holds its own next to grilled meat or fish.
Love,
V