Tom Kime

Serving size: Serves 4-6
Cuisine type: Modern Australian
Cooking time: Less than 30 minutes
Special options: Lactose free, Vegetarian
Course: Entree
Favourite flavours: Salad

Grilled fig and fennel salad with goat's cheese and roasted almonds

INGREDIENTS

2 bulbs of fennel
6 ripe figs halved
1 pomegranate
200g crumbly goat's cheese
50g shaved parmesan
50g blanched almonds or pine nuts
200g rocket and watercress or a combination of mixed peppery leaves
15-20 leaves of mint or basil or a combination of both

dressing
juice and zest of one lemon
3 tablespoons (45ml) balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons (45ml) extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

Preheat a griddle pan; Slice the fennel in half through the root, remove the tough out side layer of the bulb, and trim up the heart but leave it intact so that it holds the bulb together.

Slice each half into six thin slices, cutting through the heart each time so that the small fan shape is held together at the bottom.

Place the fennel slices and the fig halves in a bowl and add a splash of olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. When the griddle pan is hot, grill the fennel slices and then the figs for 2 minutes each side

Zest the lemon and then make the dressing. While the figs and fennel are still hot, place them in the dressing. To remove the seeds from the pomegranate take the fruit in your left hand with a wooden spoon firmly tap the fruit all over. Cut the fruit in half - it will produce a lot of juice.

Hold the halved fruit over the bowl and continue to tap the fruit firmly. The red seeds will fall out leaving the white bitter pith behind.

Crumble the goat’s cheese and shave the parmesan. Dry roast almonds until golden brown (if they have skin on them, soak in boiling water and rub off the skin, then roast them)

Wash and dry the salad leaves and roughly chop the mint and basil. Mix the salad with goat’s cheese, the fennel and figs, scatter the pomegranate seeds and roast nuts, finish with parmesan.