Shaved Fennel, Salad Turnip & Cucumber Salad

Fennel. It is one of those vegetables that seems inspire strong opinions – a love it or leave it veg! As an infant, fennel tea was the only thing that soothed my colic. Through the rest of my life, it has been my number one comfort food. And garden fennel? I know almost nothing better. Sadly, good fennel is hard to grow and it is also difficult for many other crops to grow near to it. We haven’t grown fennel on the farm for four seasons. But this year, love broke Nigel down and he planted some for me. Hooray! Thankfully, a bulb can stretch pretty far. Use the fronds in a dressing or pesto. Make a bed of the stalks on a grill and cook fish or summer squash over them. Shave the bulb into salads like this delicate and refreshing dish for a hot day.       

PREP TIME: 15 min   COOK TIME: 0 min   TOTAL TIME: 15 min

INGREDIENTS:

• Fennel Bulb, thinly sliced
• Salad Turnip, thinly sliced
• Cucumber, in half moon slices
• Fennel Fronds, torn
• Sour Cream
• White Vinegar
• Sugar
• Salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Salt and drain the cucumber to release moisture – only if you have the time! Whisk the sour cream, vinegar, sugar, and salt. Gently toss the veggies in the dressing. Garnish with fronds!