Fennel and Celery Salad With Lemon and Parmesan

This crisp, lemony salad of raw fennel and celery (you could add thinly sliced celery root to the salad as well) makes a refreshing start to a meal, garnished with radishes and slightly bitter Treviso or radicchio leaves. It could also be a light meal on its own. Don’t slice the vegetables paper-thin; you want the salad to have some crunch. You may prepare the vegetables up to an hour in advance and keep refrigerated, but don’t dress the salad more than 10 minutes before serving.

Ingredients

For the dressing:

• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (from 1 large lemon)
• 1 or 2 crushed garlic cloves
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

For the salad:

• 2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed and finely sliced (about 2 cups)
• 1 or 2 celery hearts, pale ribs and leaves, finely sliced (about 2 cups)
• Radicchio or Treviso leaves, for serving (optional)
• 1 small piece of Parmesan (about 2 ounces), for serving
• ¼ cup roughly chopped parsley
• Basil leaves, for serving
• Radishes, for serving (optional)

• Nutritional Information

  • • Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

      97 calories; 9 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 0 grams protein; 43 milligrams sodium

  Note: The information shown is DiningAndCooking.com’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

1. Make the dressing: Put lemon juice, zest and garlic in a small bowl. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir in olive oil. Set dressing aside for at least 10 minutes.
2. Prepare the salad: Place sliced fennel and celery in a salad bowl. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
3. Discard garlic from the dressing, and whisk dressing. Pour over vegetables, and toss well. Taste and adjust seasoning.
4. To serve, transfer salad to a platter, and surround with radicchio, if using. Use a vegetable peeler to shave Parmesan generously over the salad. Sprinkle with parsley and basil. Garnish with radishes, if desired.