Raw Radish, Beet, and Fennel Salad

Radish, beet, and fennel salad served along side
sesame chicken breast and quinoa/brown rice mixture

This has got to be my all time favorite recipe for salads. I made it up on a whim one day, a compilation of a few different recipes I'd seen in other places, and wow, it was an absolute keeper! These are all cool weather crops, and are a crisp, light, and tasty alternative to all the wintry root vegetable stews and soups.

This is recipe number three in my radish recipe parade.

Raw Radish, Beet, and Fennel Salad

Ingredients
1 large or a few small radishes
1 large or two medium sized beets
1 fennel bulk
Juice of 1 orange and/or half a grapefruit
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1-2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon sugar/sucanat (optional)
Salt to taste

Instructions
1. Chop the radishes into thin slices. If using large radishes, cut the slices into bite sized pieces. .
2. Sprinkle the radish slices with coarse salt. Set aside for 20 minutes, then rinse salt and juices off.
3. Peel and chop raw beets into thin slices. Cut each slice into bite sized pieces. Add to the radishes.
4. Wash the fennel very carefully to remove all the dirt, especially between layers. Slice the fennel into thin horseshoe shaped slices by cutting width-wise along the bulb. Add to the other veggies.
5. Squeeze one whole orange into the salad and/or half a grapefruit. If using grapefruit juice, you may want to add some extra sugar to the recipe as it may end up too tart.
6. Add rosemary and thyme, salt, sugar, and oil.
7. Mix and serve!

Note: You can make this recipe in any proportions you want, or leaving out some of the veggies. This recipe works terrifically as a stand alone beet salad, using grated beets, orange juice, thyme, and rosemary. It also works fine without the fennel. Play around. This combination is yummy no matter how you make it!


Other posts in the Radish Recipe Parade:
Radish Sandwiches
Russian Radish Salad
Raw Radish, Beet, and Fennel Salad


Have you ever eaten a salad with raw beets before? Thought about combining these ingredients? I was especially intrigued when I saw a recipe that called for orange juice, raw beets, thyme, and rosemary but it was so phenomenal that I adapted it to make this recipe.
If you ever serve fennel or beets, whats the typical way that you serve those veggies? What veggies are you able to get cheaply at the moment where you live?


Linking up to Real Food Wednesday, Pennywise Platter, and Fight Back Friday.