Sicilian Christmas salad

Insalata di Natale aka “Christmas salad” from the great Giorgio Locatelli's ‘Made in Sicily’

Serves 4-6

-80g pine nuts

-10 whole green olives in brine

-sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

-600g chicory leaves

-450g celery, chopped

-450g fennel, thinly sliced

-100ml olive oil (Saint Rosalia !!!)

-juice of ½ lemon

-2 tablespoons salted capers, well rinsed and drained

-2 oranges, segmented, for garnish

-seeds from 1 pomegranate, for garnish

 

Toast the pine nuts in a pan. Keep an eye on them to make sure they don't burn, and when they are golden, take them out and chop them. Chop the olives too.

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Put in the chicory, blanch for a minute or so until tender, then lift out and drain. Repeat with the celery. 

Mix the two together in a serving dish, with the sliced fennel, olive oil, lemon juice, capers and olives, and season to taste. Decorate with the orange segments and sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds and toasted pine nuts.