Puntarelle with bergamot and grapes

Method

1. First, clean the puntarelle. Start by breaking off the outer leaves and discarding the coarse ones. As you get closer to the core, the leaves become more delicate. Reserve the leaves that are the same size as a rocket leaf. Break these off and place them in cold water. 2. Once you reach the sprouts in the core, break them off and cut them into quarters. You might need a small peeling knife to separate them. Remove the tough bottom part of the stem; any part of the stem that is easily cut by a knife is edible. 3. Add a couple handfuls of ice cubes to fresh water. Put in the puntarelle leaves and sprout quarters. Let them sit in the iced water for 5 minutes. Drain and leave. 4. Halve the grapes and remove any seeds. Put them in a bowl and, using a microplane, grate bergamot zest over the top. Marinate the grapes in a little olive oil and salt. Set aside. 5. With a sharp peeling knife, remove the rest of the skin and the pith from your bergamot. It’s easiest to first cut off the top and bottom, then the sides. Slice the flesh top to bottom in 2mm pieces, avoiding any of the white core. 6. Plate the grapes. Lay the bergamot slices on top to cover. Garnish with mint leaves broken into pieces by hand. 7. Place the puntarelle into a bowl and dress with juice from any leftover bergamot. Mix with a little olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Lay the leaves on top of the grapes and bergamot. 8. Serve straight away.