HERBED HORSERADISH SALAD
Vegan | Gluten-free | Passover-friendly
Serves: 6
Almond crunch topping:
■ 1/4 cup (60 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
■ 1/2 cup (125 mL) almond flakes
■ 2 tbsp (30 mL) fennel seeds
■ 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
■ 1 tbsp (15 mL) sunflower seeds
■ 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) sea salt
Dressing:
■ 1 tsp (5 mL) lemon zest
■ 1/4 cup (60 mL) lemon juice
■ 2 tbsp (30 mL) prepared horseradish
■ 1 tbsp (15 mL) maple syrup or honey
■ 1/2 cup (125 mL) olive oil
■ Salt
■ Pepper
Salad:
■ 4 cups (1 L) torn butter lettuce
■ 1 fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced
■ 1 head radicchio, thinly sliced
■ 1/2 English cucumber, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch (1.25-cm) pieces
■ 1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped fresh parsley
■ 1/4 cup (60 mL) chopped fresh dill
■ 1/4 cup (60 mL) chopped fresh basil
■ 1/4 cup (60 mL) chopped fresh chives
1. Make the almond crunch: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the olive oil, almond flakes, fennel seeds, sliced garlic and sunflower seeds, and cook until the almonds and garlic begin to brown, 4-5 minutes. The garlic should be crisp. Remove from the heat, add the sea salt, and mix well.
2. Transfer mixture to a heatproof dish and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to an airtight jar or container and store in a cool, dark place for up to 3 days.
3. Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, horseradish, and maple syrup. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil and whisk until combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Make the salad: Combine the butter lettuce, fennel, radicchio, cucumber, parsley, dill, basil and chives in a large bowl.
5. Toss with the dressing and the almond crumble before serving.
Note: This recipe is a great way to use up leftover herbs. Feel free to substitute any fresh, leafy herbs you have on hand.
Variation: The magic in this recipe lies in the almond crunch topping, which is a Passover-friendly crouton alternative. Substitute your favourite chopped nuts for the almonds, add a thinly sliced shallot or add a chopped chili pepper for extra heat. If you don't eat kitniyot during Passover, omit the fennel seeds and sunflower seeds, and replace them with additional Passover-friendly nuts like cashews or pistachios.