Perfect summer fare for hot, sticky days. This salad is raw and inexplicably good. I can’t take the credit for the marriage of ingredients as the base of it has to be credited to the wonderful chef Jacob Kennedy of ‘Bocca Di Luppo’ fame. However, being a meddler in the kitchen I have altered a few things, (and very slightly at that), namely by adding in some fennel. This salad is clean and crisp, tastes healthy, looks pretty, (check out the jewel-like pomegranate) but has a shadow of naughtiness with the addition of truffle oil, which adds a wonderful intensity and depth.  It’s a stunning summer starter or light lunch.

Fennel, Radish, Celeriac and Pomegranate salad with Pecorino and Truffle oil

Serves 4 as a starter

1 fennel bulb

100g of celeriac

1 bunch of radishes

1/2 pomegranate

Sprig of flat leaf parsley

Shavings of aged Pecorino

Dressing

1 tablespoon of white truffle oil

5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon of white balsamic vinegar

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Salt and pepper

Essential kitchen gadget: Mandolin

Make the dressing first by whizzing all the ingredients together.

15 minutes before you need to serve push the radishes, fennel and celeriac through a mandolin on a thin/ fine setting – pop in a bowl with a splash of olive oil and lemon juice. Toss together.

Shave the Pecorino into a separate bowl and de-seed the pomegranate into a separate bowl.

Layer up the salad with the raw vegetables, Pecorino, scattering of pomegranate seeds and a spoonful of dressing between each layer – throw a few sprigs of flat leaf parsley over the salad and serve immediately.

Notes:

For a wide selection of Pecorino have a look at what Olivino has to offer :http://www.olivorestaurants.com

Or http://www.lafromagerie.co.uk/

For more on Jacob Kennedy – his cookbook is a feast for lovers of Italian food – ‘Bocca Cookbook’, or better still his restaurant http://www.boccadilupo.com/.