This Week’s Recipe: Fennel, Celery and White Anchovy Salad

Why Fennel and Celery Salad?

Good bye soups, stews and slow cooked foods spring and summer are all about fast fresh and tasty foods such as grilled fish and seafood, barbequed meats, sweet ripe fruits and lots of cools crunchy salads.

To me, this fennel and celery salad is the perfect way to welcome a season of sunshine and warm weather. Crunchy earthy yet refreshing celery, shaved anise scented fennel and the sweet yet sour tang of plump white anchovy fillets all finished off with a good squeeze of lemon juice, a dash of olive oil, salt and pepper. This salad is simple yet sensational.

White anchovies are beautiful in this salad as they are not at all like their pinky brown hairy cousins. Instead of being cured in salt and oil, white anchovies are pickled in herbs and white wine vinegar. They are plump firm fish that have a slightly salty, yet sweet and sour tart taste. They match perfectly with the anise flavour of fennel and crunchy freshness of celery. If however, white anchovies don’t excite you like they do for me, feel free to replace them with smoked trout or orange segments.

Enjoy this salad and seasons of fresh flavours and warm sunny days.

Ingredients
1 small fennel bulb
2 stalks celery
1 vine ripened tomato
1/2 bunch flat leave parsley, roughly chopped
8-10 white anchovy fillets
1 lemon, juiced
20 ml good quality extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Method
Trim the leaves off the fennel bulb and cut it in half, length ways. Using a mandolin or sharp knife slice the fennel and celery as thinly as possible. Place the fennel, celery and parsley in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil and the juice of 1 lemon.

Cut the tomato into thin wedges and add to the salad along with the anchovy fillets. Season with plenty of pepper and a pinch of salt.

Enjoy as a main meal or serve along side any grilled fish or meat.

Serves 2 as a main.

Bon Appetite

*White anchovies are available from all good delicatessens and gourmet food stores