Shaved Fennel Salad

Shaved Fennel Salad over greens

Following my love for beets comes fennel. It is so sweet and crunchy with a hint of anise flavor. I love it roasted with a lil EVOO, salt and pepper for a quick side dish. But better yet marinated in a citrus dressing with apple over baby greens.  Like the beet salad this dish pairs well with clementines,  seeds or nuts, pomegranate seeds, goat, feta or blue cheese.

Fennel Salad

Fennel Salad w Goat cheese

Fennel is a member of carrot, parsley, dill and coriander family. It is high in potassium and other heart healthy vitamins and minerals. More on the benefits of fennel. So stay heart healthy and eat more fennel :)

Fennel Salad (Serves 4)
1 fennel bulb trimed (save fronds)
1 crisp apple (I like Granny Smiths)
2 - 4 clementines
pomegranate seeds
Pepitas or toasted walnuts
2 - 4 oz goat, feta or blue cheese
1 bag of mixed greens

Citrus Dressing
1 Lemon juiced and zested (~1/4 c juice)
1/4 small vidalia onion or 2 shallots finely minced
1/4 c good quality extra virgin olive oil (1 generally mix it up and use 1/2 EVOO and 1/2 other nut or seed oil that I have in the house ie walnut or almond oil)
1 orange juiced and zested (~1/4 c juice) - you can substitute 2 Tbs of flavored vinegar and 1 - 2 tsp honey but the OJ really makes the salad pop
2 Tbs Apple cider vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
1 Tbs dijon mustard
Live salt and pepper

For the dressing - 
Zest the lemon and orange into a small bowl, then juice the lemon and orange and pour into bowl. Add the vinegar and whisk. Add the minced onion and dijon mustard and whisk. While whisking slowly add the oil to the bowl. The mustard will help bind the acid and oil so the dressing will be creamy vs a traditional vinaigrette that separates.  Once combined add salt and pepper to taste. Be generous with the salt. This can be made a few days in advance and keep in the fridge. Shake up to combine before serving.

Citrus dressing

Marinated fennel and apple
Slice the fennel on a mandolin of coarsely chop with a knife. Core the apple (peal if you prefer I generally don't) and cut into match stick size pieces. Combine the fennel and apple with ~ 3 Tbs of dressing or more, making sure you coat all the pieces. TIP this is important as both the fennel and the apple will oxidize if it is not covered with an acid like the lemon juice from the dressing. You can make this a few days in advance as the citrus keeps the fennel and apple crisp.

Marinated Fennel and Apple

Mandolin with Fennel Bulb

To make the salad -
Place the greens in a large salad bowl and combine ~2 Tbs per serving of salad dressing. Don't over dress the greens as you want the salad to be light and not loaded down with dressing. A little will go a long way. Portion out the greens amongst 4 plates.
Peal the clementines and break up into sections cutting each section in half. Place on the greens.
Scoop ~ 1/4 c of the fennel/apple mixture on the dressed greens
Top with pomegranate seeds and pepitas and dot each plate with ~ 1 oz of cheese and serve.

Enjoy your heart healthy clean eats!!