ARUGULA SALAD WITH FENNEL, PEARS & FIGS

I love a good fennel salad, and this recipe is simple and amazing. Fennel and mint are the perfect way to give a salad a light and fresh taste, and the figs are addicting.

SALAD INGREDIENTS:

• 1 fennel bulb, top trimmed off and thinly sliced. Save the fronds, chopped roughly, for garnish in the salad.
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 4 dried figs, stemmed and cut in quarters
• 4 oz. (100 grams) green leaves, preferably arugula or spinach
• 2 oz. mild feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 large firm-ripe pear, such as Anjou, quartered, cored and thinly sliced lengthwise

 SALAD DRESSING:

• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 ½ tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 ½ tablespoons finely chopped mixed herbs of parsley, mint and basil
• Salt and cracked pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Fill a bowl with cold water and ice.  Cut the fennel in half, lengthwise and remove the core with your knife. Slice the fennel cross wise, thinly. Chop the fronds roughly and submerge the fennel in the ice water.
2. In a small pan on medium-low heat, melt butter and add the figs until the figs are browned. Remove from heat and lay it on a paper towel to dry off.
3. In a large bowl whisk the dressing ingredients together: olive oil, lemon juice, herbs, salt and pepper.
4. Drain the fennel and pat dry, add the fennel and green leaves to the bowl of dressing and toss to coat.
5. Add the figs, pears and cheese and gently toss to combine.