shaved fennel and tuna salad

A quick lunch or a way to clean out the fridge, this salad, built with ingredients that you probably have on hand and that last for a long time, feels light, fresh, and delicious. It’s also really nice with supremed orange or grapefruit segments in place of apples, if that’s what you happen to have, and any other crunchy things buried in the fridge that can be thinly sliced, like cucumbers or radishes. Want to make it fancy? Add a little pinch of saffron to the lemon juice and let it sit for a few seconds before making the vinaigrette. Use a mandoline to make quick work of all the slicing (and make it look even more elegant by making everything whisper thin).

Great

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

PREP: Trim and quarter 1 head fennel. Slice the fennel and 2 stalks celery on a mandoline so they are about the thickness of a quarter. Add the shavings to a salad spinner filled with ice water, along with the leaves from the whole head of celery and allow to crisp up while you prep the rest of the salad. Trim the bottom of 1 head endive, thinly slice the leaves, and add to the salad spinner. Thinly slice 1 apple on the mandoline and set aside.

Step 2

MAKE THE DATE-SWEETENED VINAIGRETTE: Finely chop 2 dates and sort of mash them up with a fork or a whisk in the bottom of a large bowl.

Step 3

Squeeze the juice of ½ lemon into the bowl and whisk in ¼ cup (60 ml) oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 4

ASSEMBLE AND SERVE: Spin the fennel, celery, and endive until dry then add to the bowl with the dressing. Add the sliced apple, and 1 big handful parsley leaves and toss to combine. Plate the salad and top with the tuna.

Step 5

Serve topped with a few cracks of black pepper and the remaining ½ lemon cut into wedges.