Looking for a fresh, new salad recipe? This colorful plate combines raw vegetables, with slow roasted fennel, Have you ever tried fennel before? Fennel is a large bulb-shaped vegetable that is crispy and crunchy when raw, but becomes buttery and soft when slow roasted such as in this recipe. It has an anise or licorice flavor, and pairs well with seafood, which is exactly what this Mediterranean salad brings!

Roasted Fennel and Wild Salmon Salad- serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 medium fennel bulb, stems removed then halved through the root and cut into thin slices

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup wild rice

• 4 cups greens of choice (spinach, baby kale, arugula)

• 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

• 1 small tomato, chopped

• 1/4 medium red onion, roughly chopped

• 2 [4 oz.] salmon filet

• Dressing: 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Toss sliced fennel with olive oil and salt and lay in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes until the fennel begins to brown.

3. Meanwhile, cook the wild rice in 2 cups of water until tender and set aside when done.

4. Remove the fennel from the oven and turn the oven to broil.

5. Then pat the salmon flesh dry with a paper towel and lightly season with salt and pepper. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat and coat with a light layer or olive oil spray. Place the fish, flesh side down, in the skillet and cook for 3 minutes. Flip the fish and continue cooking under the oven’s broiler for 5 minutes.

6. Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Toss the greens, bell pepper, and onion with the dressing.

7. Assemble the salad by plating equal amounts of the dressed greens and vegetables on each plate, divide the roasted fennel, and place 1 salmon filet on top each salad. Top with a sprinkle of crumbled feta if desired.