Winter Salad with Artichokes and Fennel
Instructions:
- 2 tablespoons salt-packed capers
- 4 salt-cured anchovy fillets, rinsed and dried, cut into 1/ 2-inch pieces
- 2 large artichokes
- 1 lemon, cut in half
- 2 medium-small fennel bulbs, thinly sliced
- I cup black olives packed in oil, pitted (150 g)
- Salt
- 1/ 2 teaspoon powdered mustard, preferably Colman
- 1/ 3 cup extra virgin olive oil (80 ml)
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large handfuls of arugula, washed, trimmed, and dried
- Wedge of Parmesan cheese
- Here’s an alternative salad we prefer in winter. As is true all over Italy, in Rome we like to eat with the seasons, choosing ingredients that are best and most flavor full at each time of year. Serve this as a first course with warm bruschetta .
- Rinse the capers. Rinse the anchovy fillets and soak them in a small bowl of cold water for about 20 minutes to remove excess salt. Drain them well and dry on paper towels.
- Meanwhile, trim the artichokes down to the hearts as described in box on page 211. Rub them all over with the cut lemon.
- When ready to prepare the salad, drain and dry the artichokes and cut them into very thin slices. In a salad bowl, combine the artichokes, capers, fennel, anchovy fillets, and olives. Toss to mix well.
- Squeeze the juice from the remaining lemon half into a small bowl and add a pinch of salt. Beat with a fork to dissolve the salt; beat in the mustard. Gradually whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is emulsified. Season with pepper and more salt to taste, keeping in mind that there are several salty ingredients in the salad.
- Divide the arugula among 4 to 6 salad plates. Pour the dressing over the salad in the bowl and toss well. Divide the salad among the plates, arranging it on top of the arugula. With a swivel-bladed vegetable peeler, shave thin slices from a chunk of Parmesan cheese and arrange across the top of each salad.