Salad Aveyronnaise

Ingredients

• 500 g punnet cherry tomato halved
• 1  garlic clove 
• 6 servings drizzle olive oil extra-virgin
• 5 tbsp walnut 
• 3 large handfuls baby spinach 
• 1 large handful basil leaves 
• 200 g pack bacon lardons 
• 100 g roquefort with a small, sharp knife cut into chunks
• 2 tbsp sherry vinegar 
• 4 tbsp mild-tasting olive oil such as filippo berio

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• oven
• baking pan
• aluminum foil

Directions

1. Put tomatoes in a small roasting tin or dish and crush the garlic directly over them using a garlic crusher. Season, drizzle with oil and roast for about 15 mins at 190C/fan 170C/gas 5, until slightly shrivelled. At the same time and temperature, toast the walnuts until glossy and fragrant, about 10 mins, then chop them roughly. Set everything aside in the fridge until ready to reheat.
2. Before serving, heat oven to 110C/fan 90C/gas Put in the tomatoes, still in their dish, and the walnuts, in a dish or on a piece of foil on a baking tray, to keep warm. Toss the spinach and basil together in a large bowl and season lightly.
3. Heat a little oil in a pan and sizzle the lardons for 3-4 mins until just lightly browned.
4. Transfer to a piece of foil and keep hot in the oven.
5. Stir the dressing ingredients together and pour into a pan, which must not be more than lukewarm. Bring to a boil (the vinegar will smell very strong, so stand back), then pour over the salad and toss again to wilt slightly.
6. Add remaining ingredients to the salad, reserving a few choice crumbs of Roquefort and a scattering of walnuts. Toss and transfer to plates, then top with the remaining cheese and nuts.