celery root, fennel, and apple

SERVES 4 AS A MAIN DISH When it starts to get cold in New York, I am a complete wimp. I run from the sidewalks into restaurants with a bright red face and a runny nose seeking shelter and warmth. I remember many nights traveling to the West Village and bursting into a warm and welcoming Frankie’s Spuntino and having their celery root and fennel salad and a huge bowl of meatballs and remembering why it’s worth living in such a cold, crazy place.

Great

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

PREP: Prepare an ice bath. Trim the stalk off 1 head fennel and set aside— you’ll want to use the fronds later. Cut the bulb in half, and then using a mandoline, slice the fennel very thinly, about the thickness of cardstock paper. Place the sliced fennel in the ice bath to crisp it up.

Step 2

Cut ½ red onion in half lengthwise and carefully use the mandoline to thinly slice each quarter onion. Place the onion in the ice bath with the fennel to mellow out its flavor just a bit.

Step 3

Peel 1 celery root with a Y-peeler and cut it into quarters. Thinly slice on the mandoline and place in a medium bowl. Cut the cheeks off 1 apple, avoiding the core, then cut off the remaining sides. Slice the apple pieces on the mandoline and put in the bowl with the celery root.

Step 4

ASSEMBLE AND SERVE: Remove the fennel and red onion from the ice bath and pat dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Transfer to the bowl with the celery root and apple. Add 2 cups (60 g) parsley leaves, the zest and juice of 1 lemon, and a good drizzle of oil (about 3 tablespoons) and season well with salt and pepper. Use the Y-peeler to shave a good amount of Pecorino cheese to sprinkle over the entire salad. Sprinkle the fennel fronds over top.