Grilled fennel with goat’s curd, honey and hazelnut picada
As these thick slices of fennel soften and char on the grill, their natural juices are concentrated and caramelized, with delicious results. Picada is a North-African kitchen stalwart; it can be used to thicken stews and sauces, or to add an interesting, crunchy element to a dish, as I’ve done here.
2 medium fennel bulbs
olive oil, for cooking
1 slice of day-old bread, crusts removed
50g (1/3 cup) hazelnuts, roughly chopped
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp runny blossom honey
125g (4oz) goat’s curd or very mild, soft goat’s cheese
sea salt and black pepper
Light the barbecue and set for direct/indirect cooking.
Trim the fennel bulbs and cut them into thick slices lengthwise. Season the fennel slices and drizzle them with olive oil, then lay them on the grill in the direct heat zone. Grill for 2 minutes on each side to char, then move to the indirect heat zone and close the lid of the barbecue. Cook for 7 minutes before turning the fennel and cooking for a further 5 minutes until it is very tender and nicely charred. When the fennel is done, move it to the edge of the barbecue to keep warm while you make the picada.
Place a frying pan in the direct heat zone and add a good lug of olive oil. Rip the bread into small pieces and throw into the pan. Season well and fry until the bread turns a light golden brown before adding the hazelnuts. Cook for 3–4 minutes until both the bread and the nuts are a deep golden brown, moving the pan from direct to indirect heat as needed, so the nuts don’t burn. Transfer the nuts and bread to a bowl and add the vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. Using a potato masher or the back of a spoon, roughly crush the bread and nuts into the oil and vinegar to make a rough, loose paste.
Place the grilled fennel on plates, spoon over the picada and drizzle with honey, then serve with the goat’s curd on the side.