Monday, March 25, 2013

Shaved Fennel Salad with Mint and Lemon

I know fennel's anise-y flavor is not for everyone, but it's definitely one of my favorite vegetables.  Here's it's shaved super thin with a mandoline, and then dressed with mint, lemon, and olive oil.  Toasted almonds add a nutty crunch that really rounds out the dish.  This salad would be perfect next to just about anything, and it keeps well in the fridge - refresh it with a little extra lemon juice if it looks a tad dry.



Shaved Fennel Salad with Mint and Lemon (adapted from Fine Cooking)
Serves 4

2 medium fennel bulbs
Juice from 1-2 lemons
Salt
1/2 cup toasted, sliced almonds
1/2 to 1 bunch mint, leaves removed from stems and minced
Olive oil

1. Shave the fennel as thinly as possible - a mandoline works best if you have one, but of course use what you have.  This will still be delicious with slightly thicker slices from a food processor or sharp knife.
2. Squeeze the juice of one lemon over the fennel.  Sprinkle with salt, and add the almonds and mint.  Toss everything to combine.  Drizzle generously with olive oil, and then toss again.
3. Taste the salad, and add more lemon juice, olive oil, or salt as needed.

3 comments:

  1. Maybe I need to give raw fennel another try. I like it cooked but not so much in a salad but this looks very refreshing!

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  2. I may have to give fennel another try as well!

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  3. oooh, sara, i love this!! you know, i was never huge on fennel early on, but have recently started to love it in the uncooked way; such a nice crunch to it! I love your flavor combo with the mint and lemon; i can totally see myself eating this for lunch and being happy about it.

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