Fennel Apple Salad

This weather! Hurray! I left for Mayday yesterday morning thinking it would be cool and cloudy, and it turned out it was sunny and warm and the clouds just disappeared from the sky. I brought a nice Mayday picnic for the parade of tea, roasted chicken, and a really tasty salad which was a jumble of fresh veggies: avocado, fennel, tomato, parsley and cabbage. I am experimenting with fennel more often - it is so good chopped up and added to a salad.

Today I wanted something that was mostly fennel, so after perusing a few recipes I decided to try one of fennel and apples. I modified it some (hers is more lettuce-y), and it turned out delicious. The fresh lemon juice and zest are especially nice, and the walnuts. I added in fresh green onions from my garden and a few chives for a little savory zing.

Fennel Apple Salad   
(serves 2 large or 4 small salads) 
1 large/2 medium fennel bulbs
1 apple (a tart one is nice)
1/2 c chopped parsley
1/4 c toasted walnuts, chopped
1-2 green onion, chopped fine 
1 T fresh chives, chopped fine
Freshly ground pepper 
sea salt 
1/2 lemon, juice and zest 
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
 

1. Trim the fennel (so you have just the bulb) and slice super thin. I used my mandoline for this, but you can also use your fancy knife skills. Slice the apple the same way.
2. Toast walnuts for several minutes on a dry cast iron skillet for 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Chop.
3. Toss the fennel, apple, parsley, green onion and chives in a medium size bowl. Top with lemon zest and lots of freshly ground pepper and a sprinkling of salt. Mix the lemon juice and olive oil together, and pour over the top of the veggies. Stir again.
4. Sprinkle walnuts over the salad and serve. This is also really tasty the next day when the fennel and apple have absorbed the dressing. Yum!

Happy Mayday!