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Dietitian's tip: Here is a great make-ahead salad, as the vegetables can be cooked and the dressing prepared up to a day in advance. This flavorful salad may be served at room temperature or chilled. Assemble just before serving.
Serves 8
Ingredients
3 leeks, green tops trimmed to about 7 inches, bottom trimmed but intact
2 cups vegetable stock or broth
1 cup white wine vinegar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
5 peppercorns
2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and cut in half vertically; green tops reserved for garnish
1/2 yellow onion, cut into 4 wedges
6 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons pitted, chopped kalamata olives
1 tablespoon chopped fennel tops or fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
Directions
Split the leeks in half lengthwise to within 1 1/2 inches of the root end, leaving the root intact. Discard the outer leaves and rinse the leeks well.
In a large pot with a tight-fitting lid, combine the stock, vinegar, water, oregano and peppercorns. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the fennel and leeks; the liquid may not cover. Return to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the vegetables are just tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool in the pot, uncovered, for 1 hour. Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon and set aside. Reserve the poaching liquid.
While the vegetables are cooling, preheat the oven to 400 F. Coat the onion wedges with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil and place them on a baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes. Turn the onion wedges over and bake until browned and caramelized, about 15 minutes longer. Set aside to cool.
Strain the reserved poaching liquid and pour 1 cup into a small saucepan. (The remaining liquid may be reserved for soup or another use.) Bring to a boil and cook uncovered over medium-high heat until reduced by half, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
In a blender or food processor, combine the roasted onion with the reduced poaching liquid and mustard. Process until smooth. (Add 1 tablespoon water if the mixture is too thick to process.) With the motor running, add the remaining 5 teaspoons olive oil in a thin stream until emulsified.
Cut each leek and fennel half crosswise into 8 slices (or cut thinner if desired). Divide the vegetables evenly among individual plates. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of the vinaigrette on each salad. Garnish with the chopped olive and fennel leaves.
Nutritional Analysis
(per serving)| Calories | 97 | Cholesterol | 1 mg |
| Protein | 2 g | Sodium | 108 mg |
| Carbohydrate | 11 g | Fiber | 3 g |
| Total fat | 4 g | Potassium | 345 mg |
| Saturated fat | 1 g | Calcium | 63 mg |
| Monounsaturated fat | 3 g |
