Recipe From: American Culinary Federation
Ingredients:
Salad
2 bulbs fennel
2 peaches, medium
1 cup whole almonds
4 oz. pecorino romano or toscano
1/4 lb mixed herbs
Vinaigrette
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1 lemon
1/4 cup honey
2 cups olive oil
alt to taste
Directions:
To make dressing, cut the lemon into quarters and remove seeds. Add whole lemon, skin and all, to the blender. Add vinegar and honey, and blend on high until mixture is smooth.
Slowly stream in olive oil with the blender on high. Season with salt to taste. It should be creamy and thick.
Using a mandolin, shave fennel thinly and soak in ice water (helps with crispness). Pick herbs into small pieces and put in a mixing bowl. Shave peaches about 1/4 inch thick.
Toss almonds with a little olive oil and salt, and roast at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. Leave to cool.
With a vegetable peeler, peel the cheese into pieces. Drain the fennel, and gently toss with the peaches, herbs, and cheese.
Season lightly with salt and black pepper, and add vinaigrette to taste. Top with roasted almonds.
Root to Stem:
Save your fennel stalks and fronds! You can strip the fronds to add to a salad, and the stocks can be baked next to fish for a sweet fennel flavor.