Winter provides new ingredient opportunities for salads. The first time I had tried fennel in a salad was when my sister-in-law brought one for Christmas dinner. The thinly sliced bulb gave the salad a spicy flavor and I was looking forward to adding it to a salad recipe myself. The taste of fennel has a slightly licorice taste to it that goes well with the sweet pears in this recipe. Here is a seasonal salad for us to enjoy while we wait for the summer salad bounty of tomatoes, carrots and cucumbers. You could make this a meal by adding cooked salmon or a chicken breast.

Pear & Fennel Salad

by Inspired by the Seasons

For Vinaigrette:

1/4 c champagne vinegar
3/4 c olive oil
1 tsp smoked horseradish sauce (or 2 tsp Dijon mustard)
1 T minced shallots
1 T honey
1/2 tsp salt

Combine above ingredients in a lidded glass jar and shake until combined.

For Salad:

1 fennel bulb, stalks removed, thinly sliced
3 c Leaf lettuce torn into bite sized pieces
2 small red pears, cored and thinly sliced

In a large bowl add lettuce, pears and fennel. Toss with 1/2 of the dressing and serve immediately.