Ranting and Raving

This is one of those recipes that start one way and inevitably change into something a bit different. The original can be found here. I was trying to find something more interesting to do with salad. This sounded good and Giada….well it’s Giada! 😉

When I made it by following the recipe it came out alright, but it wasn’t quite what I was looking for. The Wife enjoyed it as well, and after we spoke about it, we decided to try some changes. Basically we did the following:

• Increased the amount of Panchetta
• Diced the fennel
• Added pine nuts
• Used Balsamic Vinegar in the dressing instead of Red Wine Vinegar
• Used 7oz of salad greens instead of 5oz. I usually use Baby Arugula

These changes, in both our opinions, made the dish better.

Here is how to make my version of Caramelized Panchetta and Fennel Salad. Makes 4-6 Servings

Ingredients:

For the Caramelized Panchetta and Fennel:
• 1/2lb sliced Panchetta
• 1 large or 2 small Fennel bulbs
• 2 tbsp Brown Sugar
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced (I usually use 2 heaping tbsp of minced garlic from a jar)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 freshly ground pepper
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil

For the dressing:
• 1/2 tsp of honey
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1 tbsp Lime Juice
• 2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/4 cup Olive Oil

Other Ingrediants
• 1 Package of Greens or 7oz fresh greens
• 1 package of pine nuts (about 5-6oz)
• Shaved Parmesan

Preparation

Fennel and Panchetta
1. Set your oven to 450 degrees
2. Dice the fennel
3. Add the fennel, salt, pepper, garlic, brown sugar into a bowl
4. Now, shred the panchetta and add it to the bowl
5. Add the tbsp of olive oil, and stir it all together
6. Spread the mixture on a tinfoil covered baking sheet. The panchetta pieces WILL bunch up, so break up the bunches by hand
7. Cook for 20-22 minutes
8. While the mixture is cooking, roast the pine nuts in a pan until lightly brown. Set aside on a plate to cool.
9. Once the panchetta/fennel mixture is finished, let stand for 5 minutes

Dressing
1. Add the honey, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and vinegar to a bowl
2. While mixing, add the 1/4 cup of olive oil until you have an emulsion

Once everything is ready, add the salad greens, roasted pine nuts, panchetta/fennel mixture, and dressing to a large salad bowl. Mix together and serve with the parmesan shavings on top.

How it comes out
DELICIOUS!!

Final Comments
This dish, which can be a side or a main course, is a many layered flavor experience. The carmalization of the panchetta using the brown sugar makes a sweet/savory combo. The cooking of the fennel cuts the anise flavor from overpowering, to a wonderful accent. The woody flavor of the pine nuts, the peppery flavor of the arugula, and the wonderful flavor of the dressing help to make this a truly delicious and easy to make salad for any occasion.

And once again, a tip of the hat to Giada, who’s recipe formed the basis of my version.