Fennel Salad

Ingredients

For Salad

• 2 ea fennel bulb, shaved thin ~1/2 cm (fronds reserved for garnish)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 pint citrus supremes, mixed
• 1 cup kumquats, sliced 1/4cm, seeds removed
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 bunch fresh herbs (tarragon, mint marigold, basil, fennel fronds)
• 3/4 cup pecans, toasted

For Dressing

• 1/2 cup citrus juice, leftover from supreme scraps
• Citrus zest (lemon/orange)
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 Tbsp dijon
• 2 Tbsp shallot, minced
• 2 tsp white wine vinegar
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Prep fennel (10 min) Slice bulbs thinly (½ cm), toss with 1 tsp kosher salt, and set aside. (Can rest a few hours; drain before dressing.)
2. Prep citrus (10 min)

Zest the lemon or orange before cutting, then supreme the mixed citrus, catching juice for the dressing.

Chef Tip: This is a great way to use every part of the citrus — zest for fragrance, juice for the dressing, and segments for the salad.

3. Candy kumquats (15 min) Slice kumquats thin, remove seeds. Cover with water, bring to boil, drain. Then simmer in 1½ cups water with ½ cup sugar until translucent, about 10 min. Strain and cool.
4. Make dressing (5 min) In a small bowl, whisk together citrus juice, zest, shallot, Dijon, honey, salt, and pepper. Slowly stream in olive oil while whisking to emulsify. Balance with vinegar and adjust seasoning.
5. Assemble (5 min) Toss drained fennel with dressing, citrus supremes, herbs, and kumquats. Taste, adjust seasoning, and top with toasted pecans. Chef Tip: You can dress about 20 minutes before serving to let the flavors marry. Be sure to check again for seasoning, as it will continue to water down as it sits.