Eden Grinshpan's Shaved Fennel, Celery and Mint Salad
I’m sure you’ve heard me gush over Eden Grinshpan’s culinary genius in the past, and I’ve now made it my mission to cook my way through her entire Eating Out Loud cookbook by the end of 2022. I served this salad as a post-swim lunch today (it’s the third time I’ve made it this month…it’s that good!), because it was too hot to cook anything complicated and too hot to eat anything but a simple, crisp salad. The combo of fennel, celery, and mint, plus Parmesan and pine nuts is perfection. Topped off with olive oil and lemon, it’s the ultimate summer-afternoon salad. The pine nuts are everything, so don’t leave them out.
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 fennel bulbs, trimmed (fronds reserved, bulb halved horizontally)
3 celery stalks
1 cup pine nuts, toasted and roughly chopped (you can also blitz briefly in a blender of food processor)
1 cup finely grated pecorino or Parmesan (I love a Microplane for this)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, torn (or keep whole if the leaves are small)
Preparation
Roughly tear about 2 tablespoons of the fennel fronds. I recommend using the bits of the frond that are closest to the bulb; they’re more tenders. Set aside.
Over a large bowl, use a mandoline to thinly slice the fennel horizontally (about 1/4 inch thick; any thinner and it will get too wilty). Repeat with the celery.
Add the pine nuts and cheese and toss gently to combine.
Pour over the olive oil, add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt and toss again to coat.
Sprinkle with the torn fennel fronds and mint and serve.
