A WINTER'S TABLE

Salad of Red & Green Leaves with Feta, Walnut & Mostarda Fruits
This is my favourite salad of the moment with its combination of red and green leaves and the glistening jewel-like mostarda fruits. Mostarda fruits are an unusual and delicious Italian preserve made from crystallised fruits in a heavy mustard-flavoured syrup. Traditionally eaten in Italy with hot and cold meats of all kinds, they are incredibly versatile and have many uses for non-meat-eaters too! They are available in jars from good delicatessens, as is balsamic vinegar, which is made in Modena from grape juice concentrate and aged 15-20 years in wooden casks.

Ingredients

400g/14oz Italian mostarda fruits
225g/8oz mixed red & green leaves
45ml/3tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
85g/3oz white bread, cubed
115g/4oz shelled walnuts
170g/6oz Feta cheese cubed

For the dressing:

15ml/1tbsp balsamic vinegar
45ml/3tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt & freshly ground pepper

Method

1. Drain the mostarda fruits, reserving a tablespoon of the syrup for the dressing. Remove any stones and roughly chop the fruits.

2. Arrange the leaves decoratively on 6 large plates.

3. In a wok or frying pan, heat the oil over a low to moderate heat and gently stir-fry the garlic and bread cubes until the bread is golden and crispy. Discard the garlic and drain the croûtons on kitchen paper.

4.Make the dressing: place all the ingredients in a small screw-top jar together with the reserved syrup from the mostarda fruits. Seal and shake until well amalgamated.

5.Sprinkle all the croûtons, walnut pieces, cheese and mostarda fruits over the leaves. Drizzle the salad with the dressing and serve immediately.

Note: If you have difficulty tracking down mostarda fruit locally, Valvona and Crolla in Edinburgh can supply by mail order. For details call Paul on 0131 556 6066.