Autumnal Fig, Fennel & Orange Salad

By Giovanna Eusebi

of Eusebi in Glasgow

THIS is a super easy recipe but, as with all cooking, it relies on using the very best ingredients.

Use the softest, ripest figs and the sweetest little oranges you can get your hands on. To make this dish vegan-friendly, just swap out the honey for a little sugar.

For more information see the website: www.eusebideli.com

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the orange blossom dressing:

1 orange, zest and juice

5-10ml orange blossom water

30ml extra virgin olive oil

10g honey (substitute with sugar for a vegan-friendly recipe)

5ml white vinegar

For the salad:

8 fresh ripe figs, quartered

1 bulb of fennel, cut finely (preferably on a mandolin)

1 orange, segmented

1/2 radicchio lettuce, leaves washed and roughly chopped

1/2 chicory lettuce, leaves washed and roughly chopped

To garnish:

Pistachios, crushed

Edible flowers

Method

1 First, make the dressing. Add all the salad dressing ingredients to a glass jar and shake until emulsified. Add 5ml of the orange blossom water to start with to allow you to adjust it to your own preference. Taste the dressing and then add a little more until you can just taste a hint of orange blossom in the dressing.

2 To assemble the salad, there is no exact science. Arrange the fennel, lettuce leaves, figs and orange segments in a large bowl or over four individual plates. Pour over the dressing just before serving and dress with the crushed pistachio or edible flowers.

Picture: Gerardo Jaconelli