Spring

Lemon + Olive Oil Marinated Fennel with Burrata + Mint

by:
February 26, 2013
4.5
4 Ratings
Lemon + Olive Oil Marinated Fennel with Burrata + Mint
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

The transition from winter into spring trades simmering for tossing, ladles in pots for bare hands in salad bowls made of olive wood. Fennel, with its crisp texture and bright, clean flavor, provides the perfect foundation for such a shift in taste: while it could be braised in cream and be served on a snowy afternoon, it can also be coaxed into submission with a brief marinade of lemon and olive oil. Burrata, the sexy cousin of buffalo mozzarella that is now easily found in many markets, has a sweet softness that is perfect to spread on toast with a brisk bite of fennel.
Copyright ©2013 Caroline Wright. Reprinted by permission. —Caroline Wright

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 2 medium heads fennel, cored and very thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving
  • 6 strips lemon zest, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 8 ounces burrata
  • 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Grilled or broiled bread slices, for serving
Directions
  1. Place fennel, oil, zest and lemon juice in a shallow dish; season with salt and pepper. Let stand 10 minutes. (Meanwhile, grill or broil bread slices, if serving.) Just before serving, arrange fennel salad on a large platter. Scatter burrata and mint over fennel. Drizzle with additional olive oil, if desired.
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Caroline Wright
Before her diagnosis, Caroline wrote a book on cakes called Cake Magic!. She started developing a birthday cake using her gluten-free mix found in that book. Check out other recipes she’s developing for her new life—and the stories behind them—on her blog, The Wright Recipes. Her next book, Soup Club, is a collection of recipes she made for her underground soup club of vegan and grain-free soups she delivers every week to friends throughout Seattle's rainy winter.

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10 Reviews

Jordan B.
Jordan B. May 12, 2022
this looks amazing! making it for a party tmrw night.
do you think marinating it overnight would be overkill?
has anyone tried marinating it for longer? my guess is it would just pickle even more... :P
 
Maureen
Maureen April 5, 2018
I thought I disliked fennel...this recipe completely changed my mind. Made as written it was delicious so I added a few custom touches from the garden like fresh peeled fava beans, minced parsley, fennel fronds. My lemon wasn't very sharp so I added a few splashes of sherry vinegar also. Definitely a keeper!
 
LouLou
LouLou April 4, 2016
Such a good salad - so refreshing. I didn't have Burrata, so I substituted mozzarella. I also put some of the Fennel fronds in it.
 
artist342
artist342 January 22, 2016
This is wonderful! I made it a few months ago for the first time, and wound up eating it as my sole course for two dinners! YUM!!
 
Fiona M.
Fiona M. July 23, 2015
Ohhhhh so so nice. It's also remarkable how GOOD the mint is in there.

Think you're not thaaat into fennel?
Think again.
Think minty cheese is wrong?
Think again.

Just follow the recipe without leaving out any steps, grill some garlic rubbed baguette, and have quiet faith.

IT is. Good.
 
Mandss17
Mandss17 July 15, 2014
I wanted to eliminate the dairy, but felt it needed something else, so I put in some shaved granny smith apple and arugula - yum!
 
cucina D.
cucina D. May 20, 2014
this salad is a perfect balance of foods and textures we just love... burrata is the only way I will eat mozzarella. I use traditional mozzarella in cooking dishes but this version is the ultimate for eating in fresh and simple preparations
 
Shellina
Shellina July 16, 2013
Not gonna lie, it makes me a little nervous to eat that much raw fennel. (I'm def a meat eater and raw veggies in large quantities makes me nervous). But, I'm going to try it! Thanks for the simple recipe- I've been loving adding fennel to cooked dishes for a while now- needing some new uses for it. :)
 
chefbonandee
chefbonandee April 10, 2013
bought the ingredients for this at the farmer's market over the weekend and made it today for lunch. oh man it was so good! we added a lot more lemon juice. the boyfriend asked me to forward the recipe to his mom so she has it on hand for when he visits home. loved it. already thinking about ways to add to it for next time. this is great for us broke 20-something's looking for healthy meals on the cheap!
 
SweetSicilianDish
SweetSicilianDish March 24, 2013
This medley of flavors was amazing! Thank you for introducing me to burrata. This was delicious with broiled, multi-grain baguette pieces.