shaved fennel & brussels sprouts salad {i finally got a mandoline}!

oh the possibilities! i've been thinking about getting a mandoline for a while now (love the way it shaves vegetables almost paper thin), but i seem to have a mental block about adding gadgets to my kitchen-they create clutter, confuse things, and need to be cleaned! having said that, my lovely sister bought me a simple and easy to use mandoline (thank you) that shaved two heads of fennel and 10 brussels sprouts into a beautiful salad for me in a matter of minutes. this gadget is a keeper. so is the salad recipe, by the way. i made the mistake of dressing it with my ginger-soy dressing (recipe to follow), but it is really much better (as in a must) with a lemon-parmesan dressing  which allows the delicate flavor of the fennel to shine through. when using the ginger soy dressing i would substitute the fennel with napa cabbage (no need to use the mandoline) and add sesame seeds and sliced toasted almonds for a delicious asian style salad. 
for 4-6 servings:
  • 2 large fennel bulbs, shaved (or thinly sliced)
  • 8-10 brussels sprouts, shaved (or thinly sliced)
  • 2-3 mandarin oranges (clementines), peeled, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup sliced toasted almonds (optional)
*keep the tender greens from the fennel for garnish
for lemon-parmesan dressing:
  • juice of 1 lemon (3-4 tbs)
  • 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
  • 1-2 tbs good quality grated parmesan cheese
  • sea salt & pepper to taste
whisk together


ginger-soy dressing (for napa cabbage & brussels sprouts salad)
  • 1 tsp freshly grated ginger root (use microplane grater)
  • 2-3 tbs soy sauce
  • 1-2 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds
  • a squeeze of fresh lemon juice
  • whisk together
(substitute fennel with napa cabbage, add sliced toasted almonds)
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steamed eggplant and brown rice flavored with saffron & cumin