Fennel & Celery Salad with Blue Cheese
Like so many recipes I make I created this salad because I was looking for ways to use up what I had on hand :) This time I needed to use up the abundance of garden celery that came our way all at once! It’s one of my new favorites now though and something I feel like you could enjoy anytime of the year and for any occasion. It would go equally well along side a fancy dinner or a quaint picnic. The combination of crunchy fresh vegetable, sweet dried fruits, nutty toasted walnuts, and robust blue cheese combine perfectly with the dressing to give this salad some dreamy flavors and delicious textures!
Fennel & Celery Salad with Blue Cheese
THE INGREDIENTS -
6-8 Stalks of celery
1 Large fennel bulb
1/4 Cup dried cranberries
5-6 Dried apricots
1/2 Toasted chopped walnuts
3-4 oz. Blue cheese
1/4 White balsamic vinegar
1/2 Cup olive oil
3 1/2 tsps. Honey
2 Tbsps. minced chives
Salt & pepper to taste
PREPARATION FOR THE SALAD -
Using a mandoline slicer, slice the fennel bulb and place into a large bowl. Slice the celery into thin strips and add to the fennel.
Dice the apricots and add them, along with the cranberries to the bowl with the fennel.
Lightly toast the walnuts and then crumble into small pieces once cooled, add into the bowl, and mix to combine all ingredients.
Crumble the blue cheese and set aside.
Honey and Chive Vinaigrette
PREPARATION FOR THE DRESSING -
Add in the oil, white balsamic vinegar and honey into a mason jar with a lid.
Mince the chives and add into the jar. Shake to combine.
PUT IT ALL TOGETHER -
Add in the dressing to the salad and mix to combine. Start with 3/4 of the dressing and then do a taste test to see how much more you would like to add.
Adjust with salt and pepper to taste if desired. Top with crumbled blue cheese