Salad: United States – Arugula and Shaved Fennel Salad with Lemon-Parmesan and Olive Crunch

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 15 min

Cook 0 min

Additional 5 min

Total 20 min

Ingredients

5 cups (about 150 g) baby arugula, loosely packed
1 large fennel bulb, fronds reserved, very thinly sliced (about 2 cups / 130 g)
4 radishes, thinly sliced
1 / 2 cup (75 g) Castelvetrano olives, pitted and halved
1 / 4 cup (30 g) toasted almonds, coarsely chopped (or pine nuts)
1 / 4 cup (20 g) Parmigiano-Reggiano, shaved
1 tsp fennel seeds, lightly toasted and crushed
2 tbsp chopped fennel fronds and flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest (optional)
3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp finely minced shallot
1 / 2 tsp honey
1 / 4 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Toast the fennel seeds in a small dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, 2–3 minutes; lightly crush and set aside.
Make the dressing: In a bowl, whisk lemon juice, red wine vinegar, Dijon, minced shallot, honey, kosher salt, and several grinds of black pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until emulsified.
In a large bowl, combine arugula, shaved fennel, radishes, olives, and the chopped fennel fronds/parsley. Drizzle with dressing and toss gently to coat.
Scatter the toasted crushed fennel seeds and toasted almonds over the salad, then top with shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano. Add lemon zest if using. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
Let the salad rest 5 minutes to gently wilt, then serve alongside Italian sausage and peppers for a bright, crunchy counterpoint.