Fig, bocconcini, rocket, and smoked pancetta salad
SERVES 4 PREP AND COOK TIME 25 MINUTES
This lovely, simple salad is one of my favourite recipes. The combination of flavours is classic: salty, slightly fatty smoked pancetta; sweet, ripe figs; peppery rocket; the creamy lushness of bocconcini; and the warm fragrance of roasted pecans. What’s even better is that it takes very little time to put together, but looks and tastes absolutely wonderful. The only thing to remember when you make it is to use the best ingredients you can. The figs need to be ripe and squishy, or they will be disappointing; the bocconcini as fresh as possible; the pecans sweet and nutty; and the rocket, bright green and snappy. 180g thinly sliced smoked pancetta ⅓ cup (40g) roasted pecans
4 handfuls of rocket leaves, washed and gently dried
8 bocconcini, torn into rough pieces 8 sweet, ripe figs, quartered or halved DRESSING 2 tablespoons walnut oil
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil ¾ teaspoon Dijon mustard
¾ teaspoon clear honey
1 tablespoon fig or balsamic vinegar, or to taste
1 DRESSING Thoroughly whisk together all the ingredients in a bowl. Taste the dressing and adjust the balance of flavours to suit you, then pour it into a jar; seal it tightly and pop it in the fridge.
2 When you’re ready to serve the salad, lay the pancetta slices in a large frying pan (do this in batches if they won’t all fit in the pan). Put it over medium heat and cook the pancetta, turning once or twice until it is golden brown in patches and the edges have frilled a little – it won’t take long, as the slices are thin. Remove the slices from the pan as they’re ready and pop them on paper towel to drain. Add the pecans to the pan and swizzle them about quickly to give them a sheen, then scoop them out and leave them to cool.
3 Now it’s just a matter of layering the salad. Put the rocket leaves on first, then tuck chunks of bocconcini here and there into the leaves and top with figs and frizzled pancetta. Drizzle dressing over the lot. Sprinkle the pecans over the top and grind on black pepper. This makes a beautiful light summer lunch along with a loaf of bread. (The way I love to eat this is to get a little bit of everything on my fork, so the contrasts – salty, smoky, figgy, jammy, sharp and nutty – pop in your mouth at once.)