SERVES 6
- 300g slightly stale sourdough, ciabatta or other coarse-textured bread
- 500g strawberries, hulled
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- Half a medium cucumber, chopped
- 1 small red onion, very finely sliced
- 1 small fennel bulb, trimmed and finely sliced
- 1 tbsp baby capers, rinsed
- A few basil leaves, shredded or torn
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6. Tear the bread into bite-sized chunks, scatter on a baking tray and put into the oven for just 5–10 mins, until lightly toasted. Leave to cool. Crush half the strawberries with your hands. Put them into a sieve over a large bowl and work them through with the back of a wooden spoon to give a thin strawberry puree.
- Whisk in the extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and some salt and pepper. Quarter the remaining strawberries, or cut them into smaller pieces if they are really big. Put them into a large bowl with the cucumber, onion, fennel, toasted bread, capers and about half the basil.
- Spoon over the strawberry dressing, toss lightly and leave the salad to stand for 10–15 mins before serving.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Toss the salad gently one more time, scatter over the remaining basil leaves and serve.
River Cottage Fruit Every Day! by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, published by Bloomsbury