I love fennel with tuna, and this makes for a delicious salad when layered with cucumber, red onion, capers and a simple vinaigrette dressing.
If you have a mandolin, then it's absolutely perfect for this as you can shave the fennel into really thin slices. If not, then use a sharp knife to get the pieces as thin as possible.
When you're preparing the fennel, remember to keep the fennel fronds, which are a little like dill. They make for the perfect salad garnish along with a handful of baby capers.
I've included artichoke hearts here, but they really are optional - I'm just slightly addicted to them and use them wherever I can!
Serves 2-3
½ fennel bulb including fennel fronds
½ cucumber
Nonpareille (baby) capers
Tinned tuna - approx 100g per person
Red onion (to taste)
Artichoke hearts (optional)
Flat leaf parsley
To make the dressing
6 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of red or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard (optional)
I garlic clove (optional)
Seasoning
- Drain the tuna.
- Cut the fronds from the fennel, then cut the bulb in half and remove the core.
- Thinly slice the cucumber, fennel and red onion (a mandolin on it's lowest setting is perfect for this).
- Arrange the cucumber slices across the plates and top with the fennel.
- Scatter over the onion, artichoke hearts and baby capers.
- Put all of the dressing ingredients into a jug or jar and mix until well combined.
- Dress the salad with the dressing.
- Finely chop the flat leaf parsley and fennel fronds and scatter over the salad.
