This Green Bean and Fennel Salad comes from Food and Wine Magazine. It starts with farm fresh green beans that are ultra tender and fresh. The fennel adds a delicious hint of licorice and the pinch of salt in the vinaigrette melds the two flavors together. Come taste for yourself just how delicious green beans and fennel can be!
Fresh green beans are available year round but they are extra delicious RIGHT NOW! When you visit your local farm stand to pick some up, be sure to look for small to medium sized pods that are velvety-looking and bright in color. You don’t want any signs or wilting or wrinkling. Fresh green beans should be tender enough to eat raw. The USDA classifies string beans as snap beans and that’s exactly what the bean should do when you bend one – snap! If it’s rubbery and bends it will taste rubbery too.
Fennel is also in season RIGHT NOW! Farm fresh fennel is crunchy and slightly sweet and it add a refreshing contribution to almost every dish. Fennel has a white or green bulb from which tall superimposed stalks are arranged. The stalks have feather green leaves and my kids love to tickle each other with them All components of the fennel and stalk are edible but most people stick with the root ( as does this recipe). Be sure to choose fennel that is clean, firm and solid with bright green stalks and leaves.
I hope you are taking advantage of all of the fresh produce that’s available right now! This is just one of the many easy summer recipes that needs to be made today! What’s your favorite in-season vegetable right now?
Enjoy!
Farm Fresh Green Bean and Fennel Salad
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. green beans ( variety of colors if you can find)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 fresh lemon, juiced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs
- 2/3 cups shaved parmesan cheese
Directions:
- Cook green beans in a large pot of boiling water until bright green and almost tender, about 5 minutes.
- Drain and refresh until cold running water. Set aside.
- In a bowl, combine lemon juice and salt and pepper.
- Slice fennel thinly and toss with lemon juice then transfer to a serving platter.
- Add the beans to the lemon juice and toss with remaining dressing them add them to the platter with the fennel.
- Top with parmesan and serve.