Pear & Fennel Salad
 
Prep time
Total time
 
Pear & fennel are one of my favorite cold-weather salad pairings. Lightly sweet & fresh with a pop from tangy feta, this salad is a great light lunch or dinner side.
Author:
Recipe type: Salad
Serves: 2-3
Ingredients
  • 2 ripe pears, sliced about ⅛ inch thick
  • 1 small fennel bulb, sliced paper thin (I use a mandoline)
  • Squeeze of lemon
  • A handful of arugula or other baby salad greens
  • ¼ cup toasted walnuts
  • ¼ cup crumbled feta
  • A few mint leaves
Dressing:
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1-2 tablespoons sherry vinegar (to taste)
  • ½ to 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (to taste)
  • ¼ teaspoon honey (optional)
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes
  • Sea salt & fresh black pepper
Instructions
  1. Thinly slice fennel into a small bowl (using a mandoline, ideally). Drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil, a small squeeze of lemon, and sprinkle some salt. Toss and set aside. (I find that marinating the fennel like this for a few minutes helps it become more tender).
  2. Whisk together the dressing components, taste and adjust to your liking. Set aside.
  3. In a larger bowl, toss together the pears, arugula, fennel, most of the feta, and most of the walnuts. Taste and adjust seasonings again. Assemble on a platter and top with the remaining feta, walnuts, and mint leaves.
Recipe by Love and Lemons at https://www.loveandlemons.com/pear-fennel-salad/