Equipment
Ingredients
Salad Base
- 480 g cannellini beans, canned, drained and rinsed
- 150 g fennel bulb, cored and very thinly sliced
- 100 g celery, thinly sliced
- 15 g fresh dill, finely chopped
Citrus Vinaigrette
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 45 ml orange juice, freshly squeezed
- 30 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 10 g dijon mustard
- 4 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Place the drained and rinsed cannellini beans in a colander and gently pat them completely dry with a clean kitchen towel to ensure the vinaigrette adheres properly without becoming watered down.
Trim the tough bottoms off the celery and fennel. Core the fennel, then use a chef knife to slice both vegetables as thinly as possible. Finely chop the fresh dill.
In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, orange juice, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, kosher salt, and black pepper until completely uniform and emulsified.
Add the dried beans, sliced fennel, celery, and chopped dill to the mixing bowl containing the vinaigrette. Toss gently with a large spoon to coat all ingredients evenly without breaking the delicate beans.
Allow the salad to rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving. This crucial resting period allows the starches in the beans to absorb the bright citrus flavors.
Chef's Notes
- To achieve paper-thin, perfectly uniform slices of fennel and celery, consider using a mandoline slicer set to a 2mm thickness.
- If you prefer a milder fennel flavor, soak the sliced fennel in ice water for 10 minutes before assembling, then drain and pat dry. This removes some of the intense anise notes while maximizing crunch.
- The Dijon mustard acts as a crucial emulsifier here, preventing the citrus juices and olive oil from separating while providing a subtle savory backbone to the sweet orange juice.
- Save the frilly green fronds attached to the top of the fennel stalks; they make an excellent, flavorful garnish right before serving.
- While canned beans provide incredible convenience, cooking dried cannellini beans from scratch with aromatics yields a firmer texture and richer flavor if time allows.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container. The flavors will continue to develop, making it an excellent make-ahead dish.
