This recipe is part of our Thankfully Nourished Christmas Banquet.

This is a festive summer salad that will bring a burst of colour to the table. The slight sweetness of the peaches and the bite of the watercress pairs perfectly with the richness of the roast pork. Topped with the aspic jelly jewels give a cooling umami addition. They melt on your tongue as you eat and truly elevate this dish.

Ingredients for the aspic jelly

• For 250ml jelly you will need 500ml clarified beef stock reduced to 250ml or bought stock is fine as long as it’s clear
• 2 star anise
• 2 teaspoons Thankfully Nourished powdered Gelatine

How to make the aspic jelly (make the day before)

• Reduce 500ml stock with 2 star anise until you have 250ml.
• Gelatine must never be added to boiling liquid, so take the stock off the heat.
• Dissolve the gelatine in a small amount of the hot stock, then add back to the stock.
• Don’t stir too vigorously otherwise you’ll get air bubbles in the jelly. Set in the fridge in a container sprayed with oil.

Ingredients for the salad

• 1 ½ tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 shallot, sliced
• 3 firm but ripe peaches cut into thin wedges
• ½ radicchio lettuce washed and cut into slices
• ½ small fennel bulb thinly sliced
• Salt

How to put the salad together

• Cut the aspic jelly into small cubes
• Mix together the cider vinegar, maple syrup, olive oil & shallot to make the dressing
• Toss together the remaining ingredients, except the aspic cubes, and put into your serving dish.
• Top with aspic cubes.

PS

• You can see the whole Thankfully Nourished Christmas Banquet menu here
• You can buy Thankfully Nourished powdered Gelatine