Ingredients
| 500ml coconut yoghurt (I used Cathedral Cove brand) | |
| 4 kiwifruit | |
| 2 Lebanese cucumbers | |
| 1 medium-sized fennel bulb | |
| 1 small lime | |
| 1 green chilli, about 10cm long | |
| 120ml olive oil (I used Lot 8 Gin & Tonic Olive Oil, but extra virgin oil is fine) | |
| 2 teaspoons flaky sea salt |
The strength of this dish is that it is greater than the sum of its parts. The melon-like textures of cucumber, the juicy texture of kiwifruit, the tropical tartness of coconut yoghurt and small accents of aniseed and piquancy in the fennel and chilli create a dish that gives good layering and mouthfeel, but more importantly it drives a strong refreshing angle to juxtapose the heat of summer on a blistering blue-sky scorcher of a day. It’s simple, but it’s simple with a strong purpose.
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Instructions
| 1. | To make the labneh, pour the coconut yoghurt into a very fine sieve or coffee filter set over a bowl and put in the fridge for 2-3 hours for the excess moisture (the whey) to drip through. |
| 2. | This can be done the day before and left overnight. Discard the whey. |
| 3. | Use a sharp peeler to carefully remove the skins from the kiwifruit, without applying too much pressure and bruising the fruit. |
| 4. | Use a sharp knife to cut away the woody stem of the fruit but leave its base attached. |
| 5. | Put the kiwifruit into the freezer for 15-20 minutes until the exterior is hard to the touch, but avoid freezing them entirely (part-freezing the fruit will make it much easier to handle when you slice it). |
| 6. | Cut the cucumbers into 2mm-thick slices (use a mandolin or a sharp knife to slice the fruit and veges for this salad). |
| 7. | Remove the outer layer of the fennel bulb and reserve any fronds. Cut the fennel widthwise into 2mm-thick slices. |
| 8. | Squeeze the juice of the lime over the fennel and toss to prevent the fennel from browning. |
| 9. | Slice the green chilli widthwise as thinly as possible. |
| 10. | Remove the kiwifruit from the freezer and cut into 2mm-thick slices, using the base to get a good hold. |
| 11. | To construct the salad, swirl 2 tablespoons labneh in the centre of each of four large, flat dinner plates. |
| 12. | Layer the cucumber and kiwifruit around the plate, with the edges of each slightly overlapping, showcasing the repetition of circles and colours as much as possible. |
| 13. | Feather the shaved fennel over each salad and evenly scatter over the sliced chilli. |
| 14. | Finish by drizzling over the olive oil, sprinkling ½ teaspoon flaky salt on each salad and scattering with fennel fronds. |
| 15. | Serve immediately while everything is still chilled. |
Food styling, recipes & photography David Neville