Kumquats with olives and fennel

I found some bright little kumquats at the weekend in a lovely greengrocers in New Kings Road, Parsons Green, called Fulham Greens. It is a truly wonderful shop with lots of fruit and vegetables not usually seen locally. It is called Fulham Greens. You have to check it out if you live close. Shame we were only visiting for the weekend or I would be in there all the time. But if you do come across these baby oranges, which originate from Asia, scoop them up for this easy make ahead recipe (or even the kumquat fruit salad recipe I posted previously - click here)

Ingredients - makes 12

6 kumquats

40g cream cheese (I used Philadelphia)

6 hazelnuts, roughly chopped.

Fresh fennel

4 black pitted olives

Method

Cut the kumquats in half lengthwise and scope out the flesh. Scrape as much of the membrane out as possible.

Cut the olives in half, lengthwise and then across into 5 or 6 almost half moon slices.

Cut one or more of the fennel stalks into half lengthwise and then into half moon slices, similar in size to the olives (the remainder can be used in a delicious salad).

Put half a chopped hazelnut in each kumquat half.

Spoon or pipe (if you are making a large number, piping is definitely the quicker option) the cream cheese carefully into the kumquat halves.

Place the olive and fennel slices in a row on top of the cream cheese.

Season with a little salt to taste.

Store in the fridge on damp kitchen towel and with damp kitchen towel draped over. These can be made the day before. Decorate with a few fennel fronds and .......