Celery Salad with Fennel, Dates and Walnuts
This is my ideal elegant celery salad to kick off a nice dinner at home — thinly sliced celery and fennel bulb, tangled together with lemon zest, toasty walnuts, and shaved cheese. It's all tempered by little bites of sweetness from chopped dates. This salad is crunchy, tangy, sweet and salty, and a creative way to use celery in a salad.
Equipment
Ingredients
Fennel Salad:
- 4 celery stalks rinsed, plus leaves reserved separately
- 1 large (or 2 small) fennel bulbs
- ½ red onion thinly sliced
- ½ cup mint or Italian parsley leaves
- ½ cup toasted unsalted walnuts chopped* (see note below)
- 4 plump, moist Medjool dates pitted and diced
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
- Flaky kosher or sea salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 4 ounces goat Gouda or Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Trim off the very top and base of the celery stalks and slice in half horizontally. Lay them flat on a work surface, using a swivel peeler to make thin strips. When the stalks are too whittled down to peel, use a knife to slice the remaining stalk into ½-inch pieces. Add the strips and pieces to the bowl along with the red onion and ½ cup mint or Italian parsley leaves. Toss and tangle everything together.
- Peel the base of the fennel bulb with a swivel vegetable peeler to remove the tougher outer layer. Slice the fennel very thinly using a sharp knife or shave it on a mandoline (reserve any of the feathery fronds that look fresh and pretty, giving them a quick rinse and towel dry before using). Add to the bowl with the celery.
- Add ½ cup toasted unsalted walnuts, diced dates, 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest, and a big pinch of salt to the celery mixture. Toss gently, then add 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and a good drizzle of oil. Toss again and taste, adding more salt, lemon juice or olive oil as needed. Shave 4 ounces goat Gouda or Parmesan cheese over the salad and serve.
Notes
- To toast walnuts: Heat in a 350 degree oven on a small baking sheet or heatproof skillet for 10-12 minutes.
- To prepare the salad ahead: Put the sliced fennel, celery and onion in a bowl with 1 cup ice cubes. Cover and refrigerate up to 1 day ahead. When ready to serve, drain and spin dry, add to a serving bowl and assemble with remaining ingredients.
Nutrition
Calories: 291kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 11gFat: 18gSodium: 270mgFiber: 5gSugar: 18g
