Fennel Apple Salad with Candied Walnuts & Shaved Parmesan

Directions

• Before We Start

  The ratio: The key ratio here is 2:1 apple and fennel by weight. Both should be sliced the same thickness. If you get a large bulb of fennel, then 2 large sized apples is usually the right amount. Same with medium sizes.
  Preparing Candied Walnuts: Ideally you would want to make the candied walnuts first. They normally take 5-8 mins to cook. Then you will want them to cool while you make the rest of the salad.
  Good Parmesan: The parmesan is a key ingredient that brings a needed nutty depth to the dish. We recommend getting a good parmesan, like Parmigiano-Reggiano, and putting plenty of it on there. It should NOT be pre-grated, since we are going to slice it.

• Making Candied Walnuts

  You will want to make the candied walnuts first if you don’t have them made already. They take about 5-8 mins to make, then they need to cool before adding to the salad.
  
  Recipe: Warm Cinnamon Candied Walnuts
  

• Zest and juice the lemon

  Using a microplane, zest the lemon and then reserve for later. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze out the juice from the lemon to give you enough for the recipe, about 1/2 the lemon.

• Grind the salt

  Using a mortar and pestle, add the salt and then grind it for a few seconds to turn it into a fine powder. This will better incorporate the salt into the salad, so you don’t get large uneven bits of salt in some bites.
  
  You can also use a salt grinder, but we like the control of being able to measure it first that you get from a mortar and pestle.

• Mix the dressing

  In a small bowl, add the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and honey. Mix to combine and set aside.

• Cut the apple

  Cut the apple near the core then turn a quarter turn and cut again and continue turning and cutting until you have removed the core. Then cut the first piece of apple in half, so all pieces of apple have an end with a half moon shape. This will make it easier to slice them in the next step.

• Slice the Ingredients

  For the apple, starting with the half moon shape facing down, thinly slice the apple, about 1/16 in thickness. Once you get close to your fingertips, you can stop and just snack on the little pieces of apple left over.
  For the fennel bulb, you will keep the thickness the same. Lay the top of the fennel bulb on the mandolin and begin slicing until you are very close to the end of the fennel bulb.
  For the celery, using a knife, cut them on the bias at about 1/8 in thickness.
  For the parmesan, change the setting on the mandolin to be a little thinner than the apple and fennel. It should be just slightly thicker than what you would expect to come from using a vegetable peeler.
  
  NOTE: If you don’t have a mandolin, just thinly slice the apple and fennel with a knife and use a vegetable peeler to make shavings of the parmesan.

• Combine

  In a medium sized serving bowl, mix the sliced apples, fennel, celery and parmesan together along with the lemon zest and fennel fonds. Doing this before adding the dressing will ensure the zest and fonds do not clump together.
  
  Now it is time to add the dressing and give it all a good mix.

• Add the nuts & enjoy

  Take the candied nuts and add them on top of the salad as a garnish. If you are doubling the recipe, then you will want to mix half of the nuts into the salad and then add the remaining half on top. Enjoy!