The method of preparing this salad — paper-thin shavings of vegetables, usually raw, tossed together and lightly dressed just before serving — has become a regular theme on the restaurant's menus. The variations are extensive (peppers, celery, and radishes are often added) and always fresh and satisfying.
Note: Slices of very fresh, raw cepes (porcini, or Boletus edulis) are superb in this salad. Another autumnal variation on this salad theme is to dress the shavings of fennel with lemon and olive oil and top with shavings of fuyu persimmon accented with a few drops of balsamic vinegar.
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Pare the artichokes down to their hearts and scoop out the chokes with a spoon, dropping them into water acidulated with the juice of 1 of the lemons.
Step 2
Cut off the feathery tops of the fennel at the base of their stalks and remove the outer layer of the bulbs. Slice the bulbs very thin with a mandolin or a very sharp knife. Remove the artichoke hearts from the water and slice them very thin the same way.
Step 3
Assemble the salad in layers on a large platter or on individual salad plates. First make a layer of the fennel slices. Squeeze lemon juice evenly over the fennel and drizzle with salt and pepper. Then make a layer of the artichoke hearts, also slice very thin. Squeeze more lemon juice over them, drizzle evenly with another third of the oils, and season with salt and pepper. Cut thin shavings of the Parmesan with cheese slicer or a vegetable peeler and arrange them on top of the artichoke slices. Scatter the parsley leaves over the cheese, season with salt and pepper, squeeze more lemon juice over, and drizzle evenly with the rest of the oils. Serve immediately.
Recipe from Chez Panisse Vegetables, by Alice L. Waters, Copyright © 1996, published by HarperCollins.
