Fabulous-Fresh-Fennel Salad

Normally I roast fennel with things like chicken, but this time I had a bulb and I thought I would try something fresh for summer. It turned out simply delicious even though I wasn’t sure if I’d enjoy the fennel-y, anise-y taste of fennel coming through. Regardless of my pre-conceived notions of what it might be, it was amazing! My next plan of attack was to serve it to my husband and get him to enjoy fennel again as I had burned him out on the roasted fennel thing, I was hoping to spark his interest in the salad and it worked! It will be served often on our table.

Ingredients:
1 large fennel bulb (or two small ones)
1-2 cups salad leaves for serving
½ red onion
6 radishes
Handful mint, basil, oregano (all fresh)
1 rib celery
1 tbsp. honey
Juice of one lemon
2 tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper
Fresh Parmesan cheese
2 fresh vine tomatoes
½ avocado

To Start:
Slice thinly with a sharp knife the top ends of the bulb of fennel off, and the root end on the other side.
Continue to slice as thin as possible, you can use a mandolin or a very sharp knife, add to bowl.
Slice thinly the red onion, radishes and celery.
Chop up all the herbs together to a fine dice and add to the bowl.

Next:
Mix up the dressing by combining honey and lemon in the bowl until combined.
Slowly add the oil and mix into a vinaigrette.
Salt and pepper.
Pour over fennel salad in the bowl and mix to combine.

To Finish:
On a plate lay a bed of salad leaves (arugula, baby salad leaves..etc.)
Mix up the fennel salad more and lay a large mound on top of the salad leaves.
Top with shaved parmesan cheese and pepper.
Garnish with tomatoes and avocado.
Enjoy!