Recipe: Chopped Salad of Apple and Fennel
Contributed by Doug and Sandy Essinger-Hileman
Serves 4
This salad was inspired by a salad in Lynne Rossetto Kasper’s The Italian Country Table cookbook, where she combines sweet apples and basil with tart sorrel. Making this salad was our first introduction to the enchantment of combining sweet-tart apples with a hint of anise. We eventually replaced basil with fennel for a slightly more-pronounced anise flavor. The celery, though optional, complements both apples and fennel well, and provides a crunchy texture different than either. This salad makes a nice supper, perhaps with cheese, crusty bread and a white wine such as Riesling or Chardonnay, or as the beginning of an important dinner.
Ingredients:
- 2 large apples, cored
- 1 large fennel bulb
- 2 stalks celery, optional
- 3 Tablespoons cider vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon sugar plus a pinch
- 2 Tablespoons fruity extra-virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- fennel fronds and celery leaves
Instructions:
1. Chop fennel fronds and celery leaves for garnish. Set aside.
2. Chop or thin slice the apples into a salad bowl. Toss with 1 tablespoon of vinegar and ¼ teaspoon of sugar.
3. Chop or slice thin fennel bulb and celery, if using. Add to the apples, along with the olive oil and remaining vinegar and sugar. Generously sprinkle with salt and pepper and a pinch of sugar. Toss to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Sprinkle with garnish.
4. Adapt liberally. The many varieties of apples provide abundant opportunities for matching the taste of this salad to your fancies of the moment or the other parts of the meal. And don’t overlook the power of oil and vinegar to highlight the individuality of each ingredient. Using a bit more vinegar and a bit less oil will emphasize the sweetness of the apples and fennel, and allow you to use less salt. Using only a flowery olive oil without vinegar will bring out the gentle flavor of the fennel. Using a white balsamic or champagne vinegar will highlight the tartness of the apples.
5. For a more traditional “leafy green” salad, add your favorite greens to the salad bowl along with fennel and celery. We’re particularly fond of using baby spinach, sorrel or a spring mix.
6. To use as a garnish, cut apple into very thin julienne strips. Toss with vinegar and sugar. Cut fennel into very thin julienne strips and finely chop fennel fronds. Add to the apples, along with olive oil and remaining vinegar and sugar. Generously sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. (Note: you will need less apple and fennel when using as a garnish. One quarter of an apple and less of a fennel bulb will provide enough garnish for four servings. Use the same quantities when making the dressing, but leave any excess in the bottom of the mixing bowl.)
Enjoy!
