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Fall

Fennel, Radicchio and Apple Salad

by:
January  9, 2011
4.6
5 Ratings
  • Serves 6
Author Notes

This salad is sweet, tart and crisp. I think it's the perfect starter for a heavier winter dinner. - cathyeats —cathyeats

Test Kitchen Notes

This salad is, first of all, pretty with the purple radicchio, green fennel, and yellow apple flesh. And very crunchy with a nice blend of bitter and sweet. The mustardy dressing gave it a lot of zing. (I increased the proportion of apple cider vinegar and mustard to oil because I prefer tart dressings.) The toasted pecans added warmth and a bit of richness. Cathyeats suggests it as a starter before a heavy winter meal. I suggest trying it after the meal -- it made a nice light finish. I'm happy to recommend this salad as an Editors' Pick. —drbabs

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Ingredients
  • 1 Medium head radicchio, cored and thinly sliced
  • 1 bunch large fennel bulb, thinly sliced with a mandoline
  • 1 large, crisp sweet red apple, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 shallot, finely minced
  • 1 pinch salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Directions
  1. Combine the radicchio, fennel and apple in a large bowl.
  2. In another bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, shallot, salt and pepper.
  3. Gradually whisk in the olive oil, then pour half of dressing over vegetables and stir to combine.
  4. Taste, and gradually add more dressing until it’s to your liking. Garnish with reserved fennel fronds and pecans.
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4 Reviews

Write a Review
rothenbergm November 24, 2022
Great, easy, tasty recipe, and easy to customize. Trust your instincts on proportions. This serves way more than 6, and I don't think the vinaigrette recipe accounts for the fact that shallots are the size of apples these days. I doubled the liquid and also threw in an extra half an apple.
ARay May 10, 2020
I absolutely love this. I highly recommend using the mandolin, since the super skinny sliver makes the taste of the fennel more delicate. For nut allergic folks like myself, toasted pumpkin seeds or toasted sunflower seeds make a great swap.
carswell December 18, 2013
I've been obsessed with this salad for about 3 weeks now. It's robust and holds up well for lunches during the week and has a great combination of flavours.
db7 October 8, 2012
It is the day after Canadian Thanksgiving and I had leftover fennel from a chutney, along with a mad craving for something fresh and bitter like radicchio after all that rich food. I followed the recipe to the letter but then included some leftover turkey to make it a meal. This is going to be my holiday hangover meal for years to come.