Mini roast new potatoes with ajo blanco dip, sherry vinegar and grapes

Serves eight to 10 as a starter or canape (based on roughly three potatoes per person)

For the ajo blanco

• 1g baby potatoes
• 3 sage leaves
• 4 tbsp rapeseed or olive oil
• 1 large pinch flaked sea salt

• 1 clove garlic
• 125g blanched almonds
• 50g slice sourdough bread
• 1 tsp flaked sea salt
• 150g water
• 150g extra-virgin olive oil
• 0 tbsp good sherry vinegar
• 0 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 heads red chicory
• 200g
• 30g lightly toasted flaked almonds

Step 1
Heat the oven to 200C/390F/gas mark 6.

Step 2
Put the potatoes, sage, oil and sea salt in a roasting tin, toss to coat, then roast for 30-40 minutes, until golden, crisp and tender.

Step 3
Meanwhile, blitz the crushed garlic and almonds until the mix is the texture of a very fine crumb and starts to smell strongly of almonds (five or six minutes should do it).

Step 4
Add the bread and salt, blitz again, then, with the motor running, slowly add the water and oil until it is all incorporated: the texture should be somewhere between a hummus and softly whipped cream (it will thicken while it stands, so you will probably need to loosen it with a dash more oil before serving).

Step 5
Season to taste.

Step 6
Put three tablespoons of ajo blanco on each plate and use the back of the spoon to swirl it into a circle.

Step 7
Top with three or four potatoes, drizzle over a teaspoon each of sherry vinegar and oil, and scatter over a few bitter leaves, grapes and almonds.

Step 8
Alternatively, season the soup with a few tablespoons of sherry vinegar, ladle into bowls, decorate with grapes and almonds, and serve the spuds on the side for dipping.