Simple Fennel Salad
This has got to be the easiest salad recipe to make when you want something quick, nutrient dense and refreshing. It's slightly salty, slightly sweet and just bloody delicious. It pairs particularly well with lamb or any BBQ meat or veggies and can be made ahead of time just omit the salt until you are serving, however this is best made fresh to retain the crispness of the fennel. The dressing is optional but yum.
Fennel Salad
- 1 whole fennel bulb, finely sliced
- 1 whole small red onion
- 1 bunch of parsley
- Handful of fennel fronds (the herby part)
- 1/2 - 1 tsp salt
Dressing
- Juice from half a lemon
- 1/2 tbsp raw honey
- 1/2 tbsp Olive oil
- 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
Method
- Thinly slice the fennel bulb and the red onion, using a mandolin or knife. You want the slices paper thin. Disregard the stem of the fennel and use in a soup base or stock. Keep a handful of the fennel fronds, the herby part.
- Finely chop the parsley and fennel tops, add to fennel and onion mix.
- Add the salt and massage well into the fennel mix. You want to coat the salad as much as possible. Taste here to see if you need more or less salt.
- Mix all dressing ingredients together in a separate bowl. Serve alongside salad, or dress just before serving to add a bit of sweet, sourness to the dish.
- Serve immediately and enjoy.
I hope this gives you a new found love of fennel and gets you out of your comfort zone when using veggies that you may not have had much success with in the past. This is such beautiful, light salad with a subtle aniseed taste, perfectly balanced by the harshness of the onion, the saltiness and the fresh herbs + the dressing adds that little bit of acid that is always welcomed. I hope you love it as much as I do.