Blood orange, mozzarella, toasted sourdough and radicchio salad

When blood oranges come into season, celebrate them with this salad. The contrasting colours of the snow-white cheese, purple leaves and deep red fruit looks glorious, and tastes it, too. It’s best eaten as fresh as possible, so make it at the very last minute.

SERVES 4

PREPARATION TIME: 15 MINUTES

COOKING TIME: 15 MINUTES

3 thick slices sourdough bread

a little olive oil

3 blood oranges

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 medium head of radicchio, trimmed

a handful of wild rocket (arugula)

2 balls buffalo mozzarella, torn into pieces

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4). Roughly tear the bread into pieces – they should be about the size of a small egg – and coat with the olive oil. Spread out on a baking tray and bake for about 15 minutes, shaking and stirring halfway, until golden and crisp. Set aside.

Meanwhile, place the oranges in a shallow dish – you want to catch all the juice – and cut off the tops and bottoms to expose the flesh, then carefully pare the skin away from the sides, following the curve of the fruit. Slice horizontally into discs. Measure 4 tablespoons of the collected juice into a separate bowl, whisk in the vinegar and olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.

Tear the radicchio into large pieces and add to a large bowl with the rocket. Toss in the toasted bread, orange slices and mozzarella pieces. Drizzle with the dressing and toss very gently. Serve straight away.