Parsley Fennel Salad Niçoise

This was a simple put-together salad. So what makes it a “Salad Niçoise?” I tend to name things if I put several signature items into the dish. I’m not a purist when it comes to Salad Niçoise, so if it has tuna and olives (preferably niçoise, of course) in it, I’ll ‘abbreviate’ it so people can get what the recipe’s about more quickly.

Rather than using lettuce as a greens base, I used parsley. Added the bright fennel to counterpoint the earthy parsley, and punctuated it with slivers of red onion.

The dressing was equal parts low-fat mayonnaise, capers, vinegar, lemon juice and two parts water.

I poached the sole (frozen, ugh) in water with allspice, mustard seed, peppercorns, salt, lemon juice, carrots and onions. The kohlrabi was cut small, with minced onions, boiled until soft and pureed with some dark celery leaves and salt. I used about a tablespoon of potato flakes to bind it together.

I made a puree from the poaching liquid carrots which gave everything it touched a lemony note. Not a bad thing.

Lunch took about 25 minutes to prepare. Zero fat. Minimal starch.

Poached Sole with Pureed Kohlrabi