Chilled soba noodle salad with crispy prosciutto di Parma

Trim the skin and any discoloured fat off the prosciutto.

For the dressing, combine soy sauce and sugar and give the sugar time to dissolve, then add grated ginger, rice wine vinegar, toasted sesame oil and mirin.

Toss the shiitake mushrooms in some of the dressing as a marinade so they absorb the flavour; reserve the balance as the salad dressing.

Add the marinated mushrooms to a pan already hot in the oven and roast until tender, about 10 minutes.

For the noodles, bring a pot of salted water to the boil, add the soba, and each time it returns to the boil add a cup of cold water so the action stays gentle. Repeat until they are done.

If the cooked noodles stick together do not oil them - wait until the dressing goes on and it will loosen them.

Rehydrate the dried hijiki in water.

Julienne the carrots and blanch them.

Add the rehydrated hijiki, the carrots, the edamame and green onions to the noodles, then add the reserved dressing so the noodles start absorbing it.

Fry the imperfect and shank-end prosciutto slices gently in olive oil until they crisp up. When the bubbling subsides and browning shows on the ham, that is enough cooking.

variation - instead of frying, lay the slices on a sheet pan between silicone mats, brush with a little oil and bake until crisp.

Taste the roasted mushrooms, season with a little salt, and add them to the salad.

Cut the cooled crisp ham into pieces, keeping one whole piece back for garnish, and fold it through. Serve quickly if you want it to stay crisp.

Plate the salad, prop the reserved crisp piece against a mushroom on top, and tent the best raw slices of prosciutto alongside so it is served two ways, crisp and shredded.