Recipe of the Month

Insalata di strada (street salad) by Jamie Oliver from the book Jamie's Italy

This salad is absolutely delicious!

500 g/1lb 2 oz new potatoes, scrubbed

see salt and freshly grounded black pepper

3 handful of mixed crunchy salad leaves, e.g radicchio, rocker, romaine

a small handful of fresh mint, leaves picked and torn

1 bulb of fennel, halved and finely sliced, herby tops reserved

optional: 1/2 a Cedro* lemon, sliced wafer thin * special lemon from Sicily if not available leave out as a normal lemon will taste quite different

for the Sicilian blood orange dressing

juice of 1 blood orange

3 tablespoons good-quality white wine vinegar or herb vinegar

extra virgin olive oil

a good pinch of dried oregano

2 tablespoons of capers, washed if used salted, chopped if large

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

The way potatoes are cooked in Sicily is very long and very slow, on a low simmer with plenty of salt in the water. This is a fantastic method of making normal potatoes soft and floury, but in the case of new potatoes it would be a crime. So add them to fast-boiling salted water and cook them till nice and tender. The softer you can get them while still holding their shape, the better. While the potatoes are cooking wash all your salad leaves and put them into a nice big bowl with the mint and the fennel. If using a Cedro lemon, add the slices to the salad at this point.

For the dressing, mix the orange juice and vinegar in a glass jar or bowl with about twice as much extra virgin olive oil. Add the oregano and capers and season to taste with salt and pepper. give it a good mix and have a taste. Don't forget that you want the flavour to be a little over the top, so by the time you've dressed the salad with it and has mixed with all the other flavours it's perfect because it become more subtle. Drain the potatoes when cooked, then allow them to steam in colander for 5 minutes. Throw them into the salad while still warm an toss together well. Absolutely fantastic - great with a plate of grilled fish or as a lunchie salad on its own.