APPLE, KALE, RICOTTA AND HAZELNUT SALAD WITH ORANGE DRESSING

Apples work brilliantly in salads and here they are given extra crunch with the help of kale and hazelnuts. You could replace the mild, creamy ricotta with something a little stronger; Stilton would be lovely. I rarely bother to peel apples as lots of the goodness is found in or just under the peel and it always seems unnecessary.

Ingredients (serves 2–4) For the dressing

1 large orange, zest and juice 1 tsp English mustard 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the salad

400g dessert apples (I used four medium Nonpareil apples), cored and cut into wedges 200g cavolo nero (Italian kale), torn into bite-sized pieces 250g ricotta 50g hazelnuts

Method

1. Make the dressing first. In a bowl, whisk together the orange juice and zest with the mustard. Gradually pour in the olive oil, whisking all the time until it’s emulsified. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper then set aside.

2. Blanch the cavolo nero in boiling water for two minutes, then drain it well and run it under plenty of cold water to stop it cooking. Dry the cavolo nero thoroughly, either by shaking it then pressing it between two tea towels, or spinning it in a salad spinner. Scatter it over a serving platter and top it with the slices of apple. Drizzle over the dressing and then dot pieces of ricotta over the salad.

3. Tip the hazelnuts into a dry frying pan and toast them over a high heat for a couple of minutes. Roughly chop and scatter them over the salad. Finish the dish with a grind of black pepper and serve immediately.