This is a fennel and feta salad which goes very well with fish (for example, sea bass with cider and bacon). It can be made ahead of time – very conveniently!
This salad has a great appearance… the black olives punctuate the creamy slices of fennel beautifully.
Recipe for fabulous fennel and feta salad with black olives and pecans
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 1 bulb of fennel
- 1 baby gem
- 2 tbsps pecans (I use pecans for this as they are less bitter than walnuts)
- 1 tbsp black olives – pitted
- a sprig of mint – four or five leaves
- freshly ground pepper
- olive oil for frying
- 100g/3 oz – half a pack of feta
- 3 tbsps walnut oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Method
- Slice the fennel thinly, reserving the fronds, and fry in a little olive oil until it starts to turn golden.
- Meanwhile very roughly chop the pecans – add them to the fennel a couple of minutes before it is done.
- Shred the baby gem (I think the ruby variety looks good in this salad), and put it in the salad bowl.
- Roughly chop the black olives – add to the baby gem. Snip in the mint leaves, crumble in the feta.
- Make a dressing with the walnut oil, lemon juice and some pepper.
- Add the fennel and pecans to the salad, and then dress it. Garnish with the reserved fennel fronds.