Fennel, peach & parmesan salad

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Fennel, peach and parmesan salad by Scrummy Lane

While working from home over the last year and a half or so, by the end of my work day, let me tell you, I’ve got cabin fever big time. Rain or shine, I NEED to get out and seek out a different environment and interaction with someone other than our household’s sweet but slightly psycho cat.

Not having my own transport over here and not being particularly near to the city, more times than not this involves a ten-minute walk down the long road I am living on to the local supermarket to pick up ingredients for a recipe. How uninspiring, you might think. Well, not necessarily. Over the months I have come across a fair bit of wildlife on this route, for instance. There are sheep in a field at the end of the road that I somehow only just noticed. There are also flocks of pink cockatoos called galahs and multi-coloured parrots flying noisily overhead. One time when rounding the corner two chickens even ran out in front of me and dangerously close to the busy road. I have to admit that at this point cheesy and childish ‘why did the chicken cross the road?’ jokes flooded into my head. Don’t worry, I won’t go as far as telling you one.

(Oh, OK then, I will tell you one. Why did the chicken cross the road? It was trying out a new pair of roller blades. Sorry, but I did warn you they were childish.)

Ingredients for a fennel, peach & parmesan salad

And then, a few days ago, on my almost-daily little walk, I decided to simply see what was on offer at the supermarket to get inspiration for a salad. Not only did I unexpectedly spot and grab some out-of-season peaches but on my way home along this very same ‘uninspiring’ route, what did I find? Only two boxes full to the brim with lemons and limes with big signs stuck on them saying ‘FREE LEMONS’ and ‘FREE LIMES’outside someone’s house, that’s what. Well, of course, I didn’t need telling twice. I delved into the boxes and grabbed a good few of each. Never mind that they were vastly overgrown and misshapen and the limes curiously looked like lemons. All the more juicy! And all the more of a bargain considering that lemons from the supermarket cost one whole dollar here (yes, you read that right – for one single lemon – grrrr).

making fennel, peach & parmesan salad
The gigantic (but totally free!) lemon that I picked out of a box outside a neighbour’s house

So add to the lemon and peaches that found their way onto my impromptu ingredients list a fennel bulb, a packet of parmesan cheese I already had in the fridge and some fresh tarragon and dill and I had myself a simple and fresh salad idea. A fennel, peach & parmesan salad.

You might think that tarragon would be an unusual choice of herb to pair with fennel as they both have an aniseed taste, but actually as it’s sweeter it complements it well. Then there’s the complete contrast of the sweet peaches, sharp parmesan and dill. All of these flavours meld together beautifully to make a perfect simple, fresh summer side for a piece of grilled fish or meat. I could also see this going really well with a slice of quiche, a burger or even a rack of ribs. Think posh and extra tasty, juicy coleslaw and you’ve got it about right.

Fennel, peach & parmesan salad by Scrummy Lane

Fennel, peach & parmesan salad by Scrummy Lane

So now I’ve told you all about my interesting ‘boring’ route to the local supermarket, it’s time for me to leave the little café I’m writing in next door to it right now and make my way home. Who knows what I’ll encounter along the way today. There’s currently a bright rainbow in the sky. Maybe there’ll also be one of those ridiculously dangerous snakes I keep hearing that they have over here blocking my path, and I’ll have to fearlessly fend it off before continuing on my way. Or maybe even a bouncing kangaroo …

Fennel, peach & parmesan salad by Scrummy Lane

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Fennel, peach & parmesan salad

A simple, summery salad combining the aniseed tones of crunchy fennel and fresh tarragon with juicy peaches and sharp parmesan cheese. Drizzle over a light lemon-olive oil dressing and you're done! Perfect with grilled fish or meat.
Prep: 5 minutes
Servings: 3 -4 as a side

Ingredients 
 

  • 1 bulb of fennel, sliced into thin rounds. (reserve some of the green fronds for decoration)
  • 2 peaches, washed and sliced into slivers (skin on)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, I used grated but I think chunkier slivers/flakes would be better
  • a small bunch of dill, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon

Instructions 

  • Toss together the fennel and peach slices, herbs and parmesan. Reserve a few of the herbs for garnishing.
  • Whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice and toss through the salad. Garnish the salad with the reserved herbs and fennel fronds.

Notes

You will see from my pictures that my tarragon had some pretty flowers on it. Hopefully you can find some tarragon with these pretty flowers on, too, because not only are they pretty but you can eat them!

Nutrition

Calories: 166kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 2mg, Sodium: 95mg, Potassium: 583mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 555IU, Vitamin C: 19.1mg, Calcium: 110mg, Iron: 1.6mg
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About Helen Schofield

Don't expect to find anything fussy or complicated here. Just QUICK, EASY & (mostly!) HEALTHY recipes from the Mediterranean and beyond. ENJOY!

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52 Comments

  1. what an interesting and refreshing salad with a story to match! Love it..
    I’ve found produce to be generally expensive in Australia – at least in the sydney area where I’ve visited a few times.

    1. Thank you, Archana! So glad you like the salad and enjoyed the little story. Yes, fruit and veggies are really expensive here, especially from supermarkets. I find myself using every little scrap of something now!

  2. Hi Helen, enjoy hearing about your daily exploits, never a dull moment. This looks like a amazing salad you put together, peaches are in season here and we are eating them like mad, will leave a few for this salad.

    1. Ha … thanks, Cheri! Glad I can entertain you a little! I wish peaches were in season here. I just sneaked a few naughty out-of-season peaches for this recipe.

  3. What friendly neighbors to share their lemon and limes with the neighborhood! Lucky find for you. This salad sounds delicious!

    1. I know! I suspect it was more to do with the fact that they didn’t want the huge misshapen ones but still, it was very neighbourly! And yes, a very lucky find indeed! 🙂

  4. Your path to the grocery store is so NOT boring – on the contrary, it is filled with thrills along the way! What a deal on the lemons and limes!!! FREE is my favorite price 😉
    I am so intrigued by your refreshing salad – you see, I have never had fennel before – am off to Google fennel now…
    Here’s hoping you don’t cross paths with any snakes anytime soon…

    1. Free is my favourite price, too! Unfortunately I don’t see that price in many places!
      Oooh, definitely give fennel a try, Shashi. It’s a bit like a delicate, crispy cabbage with a light aniseed flavour. It’s lovely cooked into meat dishes like bolognese sauces, too.

  5. It must be so interesting to see wildlife around you! I’m sure you’re used to it, but around my areas, it’s just your standard rabbits, squirrels, and once in a great while, a deer.This salad looks amazing, Helen! I love the ingredients you used to create the fantastic flavors. I’m trying to find as many peach recipes as I can, so I’m loving this one!

    1. You see wild deer? We have deer in the UK, but it isn’t something you would see in your garden – just the squirrels and the rabbits for us … oh, and foxes occasionally as well.
      I hope you have a go at this salad some time – it was pretty tasty!

  6. It is SO AWESOME that you just found lemons and limes on the side of the road! I guess suburban/country living has its perks!

    1. Isn’t it? I’m not sure anything like that has ever happened to me before! 🙂

  7. This salad looks so restaurant quality, refined and elegant but looking over the ingredients, easy to make. How do you do it?

    This isn’t hard at all. I love fennel & tarragon.

    Free limes and lemons? Really? We picked some fresh limes in the Virgin Islands once and devoured them, it was a riot.

    1. Thanks so much for another lovely, encouraging comment, Laura. You’re always so complimentary! This was indeed really, really easy to make. The only thing I’d change, which I think I mentioned in my notes, is that I’d use little shards of parmesan rather than just grated.
      And yes, those lemons and limes really were free! I still have a couple of them in my fruit bowl and they are HUGE!

  8. You all have expensive lemons! It would be worth it in this salad. I LOVE peaches. I have to space out my eating them by themselves and in recipes otherwise I could eat half a dozen in an afternoon! Our peaches are expensive here … but not our lemons 🙂

    1. Oh, maybe we should do a fruit swap then, Mary Frances. I’ll send you some peaches and you can send me some lemons. Except, now that I think about it, the peaches I bought were from the USA! Hmmmm … maybe we’ll just have to put up with our respective expensive produce, hey?
      Anyway, enough being silly. So happy you appreciate this salad.

  9. Même si je n’aime pas le fenouil, j’envie de essayer ta recette tellement elle pareil bonne !
    Les citrons sont hors de prix las bas, heureusement que tu peux prendre celles des voisins 😉

    1. Oui, j’avais vraiment de la chance de trouver ces citrons-la des voisins!!
      Moi, j’adore le fenouil mais je crois que tu pourrais mettre le chou dans la salade au lieu du fenouil. C’est un peu comme un ‘coleslaw’ donc c’est pas grave. 🙂