Fennel and Tomato Salad
This dish makes a side to any meal, or you could add a tin of your favourite fish or white beans to make it a meal in itself. Crisping up the fennel in iced water adds huge texture to the salad so be sure not to skip that step.
Serves 4 as a side dish
Ingredients
- One bulb of fennel (with stalks and fronds if you’ve got them)
- A handful of ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped into bite sized pieces, any tough core removed
- 1 shallot or small red onion
- 2 tsp Cider vinegar
- 1.5 tbsp Extra virgin rapeseed or olive oil
- A small bunch of parsley, finely chopped
Method
- Dice your shallot as finely as possible and mix with a pinch of salt in a bowl. Set aside so that the salt can soften the shallot a little.
- If your fennel has the stalks, cut these off just above the main bulb. The fluffy fronds can be removed and set aside to use as a garnish.
- Cut your fennel bulb in half right down through the middle. Turn each half on it’s side and slice them and the stalks through as thinly as possible (1-2mm) before plunging them into a bowl of ice cold water for 2-3 minutes. Move the fennel to a colander and allow to drain.
- With your fingertips, lightly toss all of your ingredients including the vinegar, oil and parsley together in a large bowl. Taste and season with salt if needed or more vinegar for added sharpness.