150g blue cheese (Beenleigh or Stichelton are ideal)

½ head of celery

80g blanched hazelnuts

1 tsp rosemary, finely chopped

1 ripe but firm persimmon

1 tsp olive oil

Squeeze of lemon juice

4 large handfuls of winter salad leaves (red radicchio, castelfranco radicchio, red and white chicory/endive) 1 small handful of parsley

Handful of croutons

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

For the dressing

1 tbs Pedro Ximénez vinegar, or to taste

5 tbs extra virgin olive oil

Take the blue cheese out of the fridge half an hour before you want to serve. To make the dressing, mix the vinegar and oil together, adding more vinegar if you like it tart, then season to your liking. It should be sweet and tangy. Finely slice the celery on a long angle and plunge into iced water so that the slices firm up and curl. Mix the hazelnuts with the rosemary, olive oil and large pinch of salt and toast in a frying pan (skillet) over a medium heat for five to six minutes. Tip out and leave to cool, then wrap in a dish towel and bash lightly with a rolling pin so that they break into big chunks. Cut the persimmon into bite-sized chunks and squeeze over the lemon juice. Break the cheese into small chunks. In a bowl, dress the leaves, celery (drained and dried), persimmon and croutons with half the dressing. Layer through the blue cheese and hazelnuts as you build the salad on to serving plates, then drizzle over the remaining dressing, and serve with the bread of your choice.