Fennel, Mushroom & Parmesan Salad
Submitted by Maximus27
Raw fennel, mushroom, and shaved Parmesan salad with a garlic-lemon vinaigrette and crushed fennel seeds. Mushrooms marinate for an hour, then get layered with paper-thin fennel and Parmigiano-Reggiano.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
0 minREADY
90 minThis is an Italian-style raw salad where every component stays crisp and uncooked, and the vinaigrette does all the flavor work. Garlic pounded with coarse sea salt in a mortar, mixed with lemon juice, lemon zest, crushed fennel seeds, and extra-virgin olive oil. Bright, sharp, and aromatic.
The mushrooms get dressed first and sit for a full hour under a damp towel. That marinating time softens them slightly and lets the lemon and pepper sink in. Meanwhile, the fennel bulb gets sliced paper-thin lengthwise with the pieces left attached at the base so each slice fans out on the plate.
Layering matters here. Mushrooms on the bottom, shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano in the middle, fennel on top, then a final drizzle of vinaigrette. Each forkful should get all three textures: silky mushroom, crunchy anise-scented fennel, and salty cheese.
Pro Tips
- Use a mandoline to slice the fennel. Hand-cutting rarely gets thin enough for this salad to work.
- Cover the dressed mushrooms with a damp towel or plastic directly on the surface to prevent browning while they marinate.
- Pound the garlic with salt until it’s a paste, not just crushed. Big garlic chunks will overpower individual bites.
Variations
- Add shaved celery for extra crunch and a green, herbal note.
- Swap Parmesan for Pecorino Romano for a sharper, saltier cheese.
- Toss in a handful of toasted pine nuts or walnuts for richness.
Ingredients
Directions
Pound the garlic and the salt in a mortar until completely smooth.
Stir in the lemon juice, lemon peel, fennel seeds and olive oil to make a tart, lemony vinaigrette.
Thinly slice the mushrooms, carefully dress them with a few tablespoons of the vinaigrette, and season them with plenty of freshly ground black pepper.
Lay a damp kitchen towel or a piece of plastic wrap directly over them to keep them from browning, and set aside for 1 hour to marinate.
Trim the fennel bulb and cut it into quarters. Remove most of the core; then slice it lengthwise, very thinly, leaving the pieces joined together.
Dress it with most of the remaining vinaigrette and half the herbs, and season with salt and pepper.
Add the rest of the herbs to the mushrooms.
Layer the mushrooms, cheese and fennel on each plate and spoon the remaining vinaigrette over the top.
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