Witloof, Watercress, Bocconcini, Walnut and Grape Salad

9:00 pm on 21 May 2005

Serves: 4

Ingredients

  • 100g walnuts
  • 2 red witloof
  • 1 small handful each watercress and salad burnet
  • 1 small handful red grapes
  • 1 lemon
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 bocconcini
  • 1 tbsp roughly chopped lemon thyme
  • Caper vinaigrette
  • 1/3 cup walnut oil
  • 1 tbsp verjuice
  • 1 tbsp capers
  • freshly ground black pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 220°C.

Roast the walnuts on a baking tray for about 5 minutes until starting to brown, shaking the tray to prevent burning. If the walnuts are not new season's, rub them in a clean tea towel to remove the bitter skins, then place in a coarse sieve and shake away the skins. Allow to cool.

Separate the witloof leaves, then wash and dry carefully with the watercress and burnet. Halve and seed the grapes. Toss the salad leaves in a bowl, then divide between 4 plates. Slice the lemon finely and cut these slices into small pieces.

Combine with the grapes and walnuts and scatter over the salad. Pour a little oil over the bocconcini, then roll them in lemon thyme. Slice thinly and add to the salad. To make the vinaigrette, whisk the oil and verjuice until amalgamated, then add the capers and pepper. Pour on just before serving