Italian cuisine · Salads & Mezze

Insalata di Finocchi e Olive

Paper-thin shaved fennel with black olives, plenty of lemon juice and good olive oil, crisp and fresh.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 2 fennel bulbs
• 100 g black olives
• 1 organic lemon
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small red onion
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Pluck the tender fennel fronds and set aside, cut out the core in a wedge and remove the tough outer layers.
2. Shave the bulbs lengthwise into paper-thin slices with a mandoline and drop immediately into a bowl of cold water so they don't discolor.
3. Cut the red onion into thin rings and pit and roughly halve the olives.
4. Wash the lemon in hot water, finely zest it, and squeeze the juice; whisk both with the olive oil, salt and pepper.
5. Drain the fennel well and pat dry, combine with the onion rings and olives in a bowl, and toss with the dressing.
6. Scatter the chopped fennel fronds on top and serve the salad immediately before the fennel releases water.