Apple Fennel Salad

      This salad is actually a salad I added to our menu at work for the fall.  It's a simple salad, that can be made without a lot of preparation, or you can take a little bit of extra time and have really excellent salad (as well as some candied nuts to snack on).  For the salad you need 
Mixed greens- just get one of the mixes you can find at the grocery store or if you have access to some of the individual lettuces this salad is excellent with frisee and oak leaf lettuce.  
Shaved Fennel-core and thinly sliced fennel.  I like to use a mandoline, though you need to be very careful the blades are very sharp.  You will probably have a good bit left of the top so you don't cut your hands.  Save them and make soup or stock with them.  Put the shaved fennel in cold water to crisp up. 
Sliced Apples- use something sweet and crisp.  I like pink ladies or honey crisps for this salad.  When you slice your apples to keep them from turning brown before you serve them just drop them in some apple juice, no need for the lemon water, the apple juice keeps them tasting like apples, not lemon.   
Champagne Vinaigrette-  a simple dressing, you can probably find some in the store if you like, but it's really easy to make.  Use your blender, put in

1 shallot, sliced
1 clove garlic
1 tsp dijon
2 TBS honey
1/3 cup champagne vinegar
1 tsp chopped fresh tarragon
pinch salt
4-5 grinds black pepper
turn the blender on high speed, remove the lid and slowly drizzle in 
1 cup oil - I like using a blend of olive oil and a low flavor salad oil.  

This will make a beautiful emuslified dressing that will hold up in your fridge for a couple of weeks.     

Pecans- I use spiced pecans, the recipe follows, and they are great to just have around to snack on too, if you are worried that you are going to make too many for your salad.  If the candied nuts seem like too much work simply sprinkle a little bit of water, salt and sugar on the nuts and toast them for a few minutes at 325 degrees in the oven.  For the spiced pecans start with

6 oz pecan pieces- For small amounts of these nuts I like using smaller pieces of nuts because they cook more evenly with the amount of liquid that you will be using- if you want to use larger nuts, more sugar and water so it doesn't completely boil away
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
dash cayene
1 tsp chinese 5 spice (in case you haven't figured this out yet, I'm a bit addicted to this stuff.)
1/2 tsp salt
Mix all the ingredients together they should feel like wet sand.  Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer.  Let cook very gently for 30 or so minutes.  You want the nuts to get a bit soft.  Strain the liquid.  Now you are going to fry the nuts it will harden up the candy and separate the individual pieces.  If you have a fryer you can set to a certain temperature set it at 325 and fry them for about 1 minute- until they stop bubbling. Be sure to stir them a bit as they are frying.
      If you don't have a fryer put about 1 cup of oil in a medium pan.  Turn it on high.  After a few minutes it will be farily warm, you can feel that it is holding your hand a few inches above the oil.  Put the nuts in the pan and turn the heat down to medium, keep an eye on them and keep stirring them! Keep cooking them until most of the bubbling has stopped.
      Once they nuts are done cooking whatever method you use, pull them out and let them cool on a sheet pan lined with parchment or a  silicone pad.  When they are cool enough to touch, but still warm break them apart the rest of the way.  Once they are completely cool you will be able to store them in a air tight container. 

Goat Cheese- Last ingredient.  Sometimes you can find crumbled goat cheese, this is easiest to deal with for this salad.
       The dressing, nuts and fennel can be prepped up a day or two before.  When you are ready to build the salad toss the greens in the dressing with a little bit of salt and pepper then layer in all the other ingredients so that every portion taken of it has a little bit of everything. 
      I love having this salad as an accompaniment to the usual Thanksgiving table.  It is so nice to have  something with those bright flavors as a way to cleanse the palate of all those usual heavy flavors on the table.