PRAWN, TOMATO, NECTARINE AND HAZELNUT SALAD

Serves 4

16 large cooked prawns, peeled and deveined

2 heads of witlof (chicory) – red, white or a combination – leaves separated, washed and dried

2 heads of baby cos lettuce, leaves separated, washed and dried

2 tablespoons hazelnut oil

Juice of 2 limes

2 yellow nectarines

2 vine-ripened tomatoes, cored

½ cup (75g) hazelnuts, roughly chopped Small handful of flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely shredded

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Ripe tomatoes and nectarines make a killer combination in summer – at the peak of their season, both are deliciously sweet, especially when matched with the natural sweetness of prawns. The sharpness of lime offsets all the sweetness, and the mellow richness of crushed hazlenuts and hazelnut oil is pretty hard to beat, though you can, of course, just use olive oil. The cos and witlof contribute freshness and crunch.

1 Place the prawns in a large bowl. Roughly tear the witlof and baby cos leaves and add to the bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with the hazelnut oil and lime juice, adding a little at a time and tasting as you go to achieve the right balance.

2 Cut the cheeks off the nectarines and thinly slice each cheek. Cut the tomatoes into wedges.

3 Arrange the nectarines and tomatoes on four plates. Divide the salad leaves and prawns between the plates, placing them gently around the fruit. Sprinkle with the hazelnuts and parsley and serve. Variations

Substitute the prawns for any other type of crustacean, such as crab, lobster or Moreton Bay/Balmain bug. If you prefer, try this with fragrant white peaches or nectarines – when stone fruit is in season, it can be hard to choose!