Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Salad Base
- 480 g cannellini beans, cooked, rinsed and drained well
- 200 g fennel bulb, very thinly sliced
- 150 g celery, finely diced
- 80 g red onion, finely chopped
- 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
- 5 g orange zest, finely grated
- 10 g dijon mustard
- 5 ml maple syrup
- 3 g sea salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Prepare the vegetables by removing the tough core of the fennel bulb and slicing it as thinly as possible. Dice the celery, finely chop the red onion, and chop the fresh dill. Place them all on your cutting board or in small prep bowls.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the extra virgin olive oil, orange juice, lemon juice, orange zest, dijon mustard, maple syrup, sea salt, and black pepper. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is fully emulsified and slightly thickened.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the thoroughly rinsed cannellini beans, sliced fennel, diced celery, chopped red onion, and fresh dill.
Pour the citrus vinaigrette over the bean and vegetable mixture. Toss gently using a large spoon or rubber spatula to ensure all the ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing without crushing the delicate beans.
Cover the bowl and let the salad rest in the refrigerator at 4 Celsius / 40 Fahrenheit for at least 30 minutes before serving. This resting period allows the beans to absorb the acidic dressing and the raw vegetables to slightly soften.
Chef's Notes
- Rinsing canned beans thoroughly in cold water removes excess starch and sodium, giving them a cleaner taste and preventing the dressing from becoming thick and cloudy.
- If you have time, allow the salad to sit out for 10 minutes before eating if it has been stored in the refrigerator overnight. The olive oil based dressing will loosen up, and flavors are more vibrant when not ice-cold.
- Save the delicate, feathery fronds from the top of your fennel stalks. Chop them up along with the fresh dill to weave an extra layer of sweet anise flavor throughout the dish.
- Do not skip the dijon mustard in the vinaigrette. Even if you dislike mustard, it acts as a crucial emulsifier that binds the oil and citrus juices together so they coat the salad evenly.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container. The flavor improves on the second day as the beans absorb the dressing.
