Fennel salad with watercress recipe

Our fennel salad with watercress is a light and fresh side dish. This salad is easy to prepare and is much more interesting than a simple green salad. You simply need to whizz up a dressing a combine a few ingredients to make this flavourful fennel salad. Fennel is a bulb vegetable with a strong aniseed like flavour. It can be served either raw or cooked, and is popular in Italian cuisine. Thin slices of raw fennel are a fresh and crunchy addition to a salad, its distinctive flavour packing a real punch. Cooked fennel, on the other hand, is much softer and more mild with a natural sweetness. We've paired the strong flavour of fennel with a dressing made from zesty lemon, salty capers, and fresh parsley to create a side salad that is anything but boring. This fennel salad with watercress is a versatile summer side dish that works well with salmon, pasta, and meats.

Ingredients

• 100g packet watercress
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 6tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3tbsp capers in brine, drained
• Small bunch of flat-leaf parsley
• 2 heads of fennel

Method

1. To make the dressing, whizz half the watercress with the lemon zest and juice, oil, capers and parsley in a food processor, then season. Put in a sealable jar and store in a cool place.
2. Slice the fennel very thinly. Toss it in a sealable plastic bag with the remaining watercress. Add 1tbsp water, seal and chill until needed.
3. To serve, drain off the water. Transfer the salad to a bowl. Shake the dressing before drizzling over the salad and tossing it.