Fennel and Celery Slaw with Orange, Cumin and Chilies

Fennel slaw.

Intriguing and not at all what you would think it would be.
Especially when you only have one fennel bulb.

And you realize fennel’s best friend is celery.
And there’s a plethora of the celery in the fridge.

A little bit of orange zest, crushed fennel seeds, ground cumin, hot red pepper flakes and minced garlic.

Let this baby sit a bit and it gets a mind of its own.

Spicy, peppery, fragrant and so damn good with a piece of grilled chicken marinated in fresh lime juice.

Dare I say it?

Big Fat Yum!!!

Fennel and Celery Slaw with Orange, Cumin and Chilies
Adapted from Molly O’Neill’s A Well Seasoned Appetite

1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed and julienned
1 large cup thinly sliced celery
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp fennel seeds, crushed
Good pinch crushed hot red pepper flakes
1 tsp grated orange zest
1 small clove garlic, smashed and minced
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp fresh orange juice
Extra virgin olive oil
Coarse salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine fennel and celery in big bowl. Combine fennel seeds, cumin and crushed red pepper flakes in small bowl and add to fennel and celery and toss. Whisk together the orange zest, garlic, fresh lemon and orange juices. Add a couple of good swirls of extra virgin olive oil and season to taste with the coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add to the fennel and celery and toss til well coated. Let sit for an hour at room temperature.
The original recipe calls for chopping ¼ cup of fresh fennel fronds and adding to the salad prior to serving.
I forgot. I’m sure it would be divine. Also you can do this recipe with 3 medium fennel bulbs and leave out the celery. Up to you!

Serves 3.

Click here for a printable recipe!

One Year Ago on Feeding Groom

Two Years Ago on Feeding Groom

Fennel and Celery Slaw with Orange, Cumin and Chilies

Feeding Groom's Grilled Lobster Provencal

One of the truly great party weekends in Nashville is just around the corner.

The Iroquois Steeplechase.

Visualize yourself on a beautiful sunny day, dressed up in the cutest dress, a faboo hat and totally inappropriate shoes hiking several miles to your box where you’ll spend a delightful afternoon watching horses fling themselves around a track and people slowly turn the color of lobsters.

Which brings me to my subject.

Lunch.

You’ve delegated beverage, nibble and dessert duty to fellow box members. It’s up to you to bring it on and blow them away with the main course.
.
Enter a cold grilled lobster with a knock out baby new potato and haricot verts salad .A divine Dijon vinaigrette, a few toasted pine nuts, Kalamata olives just add to the total outrageousness of this meal. if you don’t want to deal with the shell, make the salad, put it on some mixed baby romaine and top with the chopped grilled lobster and fresh basil. Add a few lemon wedges for a quick squeeze on top and you’ve got one hell of a lunch.

Party on!


Feeding Groom’s Grilled Lobster Provencal

Dressing:

3 tbs Champagne vinegar
1 tsp minced shallot
2 tsp Dijon mustard
½ cup roasted garlic olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mix the champagne vinegar, shallot and mustard in small bowl. Slowly drizzle the oil into the bowl as you whisk until the dressing emulsifies. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

The Lobster Tails:

Preheat your grill to high if gas, or get the charcoal going.

2 large lobster tails
Roasted garlic olive oil for brushing

Salad:

1 pound baby new potatoes, cooked until just tender, cut in half
½ pound haricots verts, also known as French green beans, blanched
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
¼ cup fresh basil, cut into chiffonade
¼ cup Kalamata olives, pitted
6 perfectly ripe small tomatoes, quartered ( grape tomatoes work well)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add a dab of olive oil. Add lobster tails and cook for six minutes at the boil. Drain and when cool enough to handle, take a pair of kitchen scissors and cut right down the middle of the flesh side of the lobster. Don’t cut all the way through. Clean the hard shell off the flesh side and with the scissors, cut to expose the flesh so it will grill evenly.


When your fire is ready, brush the lobster tails with the roasted garlic olive oil and cook 3 minutes a side.
Remove the flesh from the lobster tail and chop in bite sized pieces. Toss with a bit of roasted garlic oil and season with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Combine salad ingredients, toss with dressing to taste.

Fill the lobster tail with the chopped lobster. Arrange salad next to the lobster and sprinkle with the fresh basil.

Serves 2.

Click here for a printable recipe!

One Year Ago on Feeding Groom

Two Years Ago on Feeding Groom

Feeding Groom's Grilled Lobster Provencal