The bitter leaves of winter, such as chicory and radicchio, are great. Radicchio is especially good value for money because it is so tightly packed you will find you have a plethora of leaves for a salad. Versatile, too, as they are delicious roasted. Chicory is also wonderful braised, and both chicory and radicchio respond well to pickling.

Pomegranates and satsumas come into season around the same time and make very good partners, with their contrasting notes of sharp and sweet. This salad is ideal eaten with warm flatbread or pitta to mop up all the juices. It would also make a lovely starter (appetizer).

My greatest friend Imogen tells me how her mum would keep her and her sisters quiet as children by giving them a quarter of a pomegranate and a pin, and leaving them to pick out the seeds individually for eating – resulting in hours of concentration for them and hours of peace for her mum.

Method:

• Peel the satsumas with a knife to get rid of all the pith, then cut into slices about 3mm (1/8in) thick. Put the satsuma slices, along with any juices, into a large bowl with the onion and a pinch of salt. Mix well, then leave the onions to soften while you tackle the pomegranate.
• Cut the pomegranate in half, then cut one half in half again. Squeeze the juice from the two quarters through a sieve (strainer) into a bowl – you may need to do a bit of prodding with a fork to get the pomegranate to release its juice. This should reward you with about 4 tablespoons of pomegranate juice.
• Add the vinegar and honey to the bowl, then season with salt and pepper. Slowly drizzle in the oil, whisking to incorporate.
• Take the other half of the pomegranate and place it, cut side down, in your hand. Tap it with a rolling pin to dislodge the seeds. Remove any white membrane from the seeds, then add to the bowl with the satsumas and onion.
• Trim the fennel, reserving any fronds, then slice very finely and add to the bowl. Chop the reserved fennel fronds and add those too. Now crumble in the feta and gently toss all the ingredients together.
• Put the salad leaves and chives in another bowl, season lightly and dress with some of the pomegranate dressing. Arrange the salad leaves on four plates, then scatter the rest of the salad over the top, finishing with some extra dressing.

Extracted from Every Last Bite (Quadrille)