Fennel and mozzarella salad, chocolate to follow

Nigel Slater has a recipe for Mozzarella with grilled fennel salad.  It's in Kitchen Diaries, but also online in an article with lots of other good grilled vegetable recipes.  I made this for O the other evening with olive focaccia bread.

Nigel Slater's Mozzarella with grilled fennel salad (my slightly adapted version)

2 medium-sized heads of fennel
extra virgin olive oil
24 black olives
a small bunch of flat-leafed parsley
1 large ball of very good buffalo mozzarella

Fennel is best peeled slightly as the outside is tough. After cutting the blub (lengthways) in half, cut out the tough core and braise in butter until tender (I sometimes add a little water while it's cooking). 
 

Fennel, from the great 'Juicing Book' website

Pour the olive oil into a bowl then add the olives.  When the fennel is golden brown remove from heat and make cuts down each fennel evenly down each side (leaving the root uncut) and fan out in a shallow sided bowl.  Pour over the dressing and leave the mixture overnight.


When ready to serve divide the fennel and olive salad between two plates, tear the mozzarella into pieces and lay it on top of the salad.  Add a little more olive oil and the torn flat-leafed parsley, salt and pepper.

We had GU melting middle puddings to follow, lovely with some double cream.

Lovely GU puddings