Taken as red

River Cottage head chef GELF ALDERSON creates knockout salads using simple, seasonal ingredients.

- Gelf Alderson

I couldn’t write a book about salads without including a recipe for panzanella, it’s such a wondrous thing. At River Cottage, we like to include a little fruit, as it enhances the flavour of the tomatoes. Strawberries are my favourite addition, but gooseberries and raspberries are good, too. 

PANZANELLA

2 slices of slightly stale sourdough or ciabatta 1kg mixed, slightly overripe tomatoes cucumber 1 small red onion, finely diced 1 tbsp capers, roughly chopped 100g black kalamata olives, pitted 150g halved gooseberries, quartered, or strawberries or whole raspberries 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 25g basil leaves salt and pepper 

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Tear the bread into large chunks and scatter on a baking tray.

Toast in the oven for 3-5 minutes until crisp and lightly golden, turning once. Remove and allow to cool.

Pick the ripest 2 tomatoes (fairly softis fine) and squish them in your hands into a sieve over a large bowl.

Using the back of a wooden spoon, press the tomato flesh through the sieve. Discard the seeds and skins. Cut the rest of the tomatoes into wedges or chop roughly, then add to the bowl with the tomato juice.

Dice the cucumber and add to the tomatoes with the onion, capers, olives and choice of fruit.

Toss in the toasted bread chunks, then trickle in the oil. Roughly tear half the basil leaves into the salad. Tumble everything together, then leave to sit for 15-20 minutes.