Salad with grapefruit, avocado, beetroot and pita crisps

Wash small beetroot and simmer in water until tender when pierced with a fine skewer. Drain. Slip on disposable gloves to peel. Quarter each beetroot and place in a bowl with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a grinding of black pepper and a little sea salt.

Carve the skin from the grapefruit and segment the fruit by slipping a very sharp knife inside the membrane of each section and freeing the segments. Put segments in a separate bowl from the beetroot.

Peel avocados and cut into chunks. Toss with the grapefruit.

Separate the pocket bread into halves. Roll each half and cut into shreds.

Heat 1cm of olive oil in a small pan and fry the pocket bread shreds until crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and set aside.

Drop mint sprigs into the grapefruit-avocado mix.

To serve 

When ready to serve, mix the contents of both bowls together and quickly pile on a platter. Scatter with the pocket bread crisps. Eat at once.

This recipe features in Winter which is available now in all good bookstores RRP $34.95. To order direct call 1300 656 059 or visit www.smh.com.au/store