Simple Fennel Salad

Fennel is one of my favorite vegetables.  We ate it frequently when I was a kid, typically sauteed in olive oil, since my mom had it growing all over the garden.  As an adult, fennel has become one of my Go To salad ingredients. If you aren’t familiar with this vegetable, now is the time to check it out! It’s very seasonal, and I love to pick it up from my local farmer’s market at this time of year. It has a delicate licorice flavor, and you can use the bulb, stems, feathery leaves and even the flowers to add tons of unique impact to a dish.

This recipe is a celebration of very simple ingredients and preparation, allowing the flavor and crunch of fennel to shine.  I particularly enjoy this simple side salad with seafood and with pork.  For a dinner salad embracing this wonderful veggie, check out my Like my Shrimp, Avocado, Mango and Fennel Salad.

This salad works equally well with young fennel bulbs with tender stems and lots of leaves attached, and more mature bulbs where the stems are removed before selling.

Prep time: 5-10 minutes
Cook time: 0
Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:

• 1 lb fennel (bulb, stems & leaves)
• juice of 1 lemon, about 3 tbsp
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:

1. Mix lemon juice, salt and olive oil together in a small bowl. Set aside
2. Thinly slice fennel bulb, and chop stems and leaves.  A mandoline slicer makes this job very quick!
3. Gently toss fennel with dressing.