Mechouia Grilled Salad with Charred Peppers, Tuna, and Egg

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A smoky Moroccan grilled salad built on fire-blackened peppers, tomatoes, onion, and garlic that are peeled, chopped, and dressed with harissa, lemon, and good olive oil. Topped with oil-packed tuna, briny olives, capers, and a sliced hard-boiled egg, it lands somewhere between a salad and a light main, perfect with crusty bread.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 285 kcalCalories
• 18 gFat
• 3 gSaturated Fat
• 16 gCarbs
• 5 gFiber
• 8 gSugar
• 14 gProtein
• 540 mgSodium
• 590 mgPotassium
• 75 mgCalcium
• 2.6 mgIron
• 92 mgVitamin C
• 115 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the grilled vegetables

• 2 large green bell peppers, halved and seeded
• 2 large red bell peppers, halved and seeded
• 4 ripe plum tomatoes, halved
• 1 large red onion, peeled and cut into 1-inch thick rounds
• 6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the dressing and garnish

• 1 tablespoon harissa paste, plus more to taste
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
• 1 (5-ounce) can good-quality tuna in olive oil, drained and flaked
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved or quartered
• 1/3 cup pitted black olives, such as Moroccan or Gaeta
• 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

1. Prepare a hot grill (or use a grill pan over high heat). Toss the bell peppers, tomatoes, onion rounds, and unpeeled garlic cloves with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, cumin, salt, and pepper.
2. Grill the vegetables, turning occasionally, until the peppers and onion are heavily charred and blistered (about 12 minutes), the tomatoes collapse and blacken on the edges (about 8 minutes), and the garlic is soft within its papery skin (about 6 minutes). Transfer everything to a bowl, cover, and let steam for 10 minutes to loosen the skins.
3. Once cool enough to handle, peel the charred skins off the peppers and tomatoes, slip the garlic from its skins, and discard any tough pepper cores. Coarsely chop the peppers, tomatoes, and onion and place in a serving bowl; mash the soft garlic with the side of a knife and stir it in.
4. Whisk the harissa and lemon juice with 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a small bowl. Pour the dressing over the warm vegetables and toss gently so the tomatoes keep some shape. Taste and adjust with more harissa, lemon, or salt.
5. Spoon the salad onto a wide platter or shallow bowl and let it come to room temperature, about 10 minutes. Top with the flaked tuna, arranging it in small mounds.
6. Scatter the olives, capers, and parsley over the top, sprinkle with the dried oregano, and arrange the hard-boiled eggs around the edge. Finish with a final drizzle of olive oil and serve with lemon wedges and crusty bread for scooping.

Cook’s Notes

• For the deepest smoke flavor, char the vegetables over real wood or charcoal if you can; a gas grill still works but the char will be lighter.
• Letting the grilled vegetables rest covered is what makes the skins slip off cleanly; do not skip the steaming step or you will fight the peppers.
• Stir the harissa into the dressing a teaspoon at a time; brands vary wildly in heat and salt.
• This salad is best at room temperature, not cold from the fridge, so pull it out 20 minutes before serving.
• Leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; the flavors deepen overnight and are excellent mounded on toasted bread the next day.

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