Shaved Fennel & Celery w/ Mint & Honey

Fruit salad meets raw vegetables in this licorice and herbal punch that delivers a crunch. Fresh mint, fennel and celery stalk and celery leaves are combined with fruit and topped with balsamic vinegar and honey. Add your own vegetable mix, and even a cheese like Brie or yogurt for creaminess. The original attempt at this recipe included tarragon and asparagus, but as always, it's fun to use whatever ingredients are on hand.

Ingredients

1/2 Fennel bulb - shaved

pinch of fennel flowers

handful of Celery Stalk - chopped or julienned

Celery leaves (optional)- works best with farmer's market celery.

1/2 green apple - sliced

blackberries - handful

grapes - cut in half - handful

Fresh mint leaves - handful

1 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Black pepper

2 Tbsp Honey

1 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar (aged)

Optional/Replacements

Asparagus

Honeydew/melon

Chives

Tarragon

Dairy

Labneh/Yogurt

Burrata

Ciliegine (or Fresh Mozzarella)

Goat

Tallegio

Brie

Steps

The key is getting the fennel shaved thin enough to avoid a mouthful that's difficult to chew. Rip or cut off the outer layers of the fennel bulb, and cut off the stalks with the seeds and cut the bulb in half length-wise. This should result in 2 halves that have a flat surface. Place the fennel flat surface down and slice from the outside in towards the base/stem. Repeat this for the apples. (see picture below)

In a mixing bowl, add all of the chopped ingredients and fruit, add 1 Tbsp balsamic, salt, pepper 1 tbsp of honey and mix gently.

Add to a serving bowl, top with more honey and the fennel flowers.