Spinning Top Fresh Salad (Printable Version)

Thin vegetable ribbons and fresh herbs form a light, fresh, and visually dynamic salad.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium fennel bulb
02 - 2 small rainbow carrots
03 - 1 small golden beet, peeled
04 - 1/2 small red onion

→ Herbs & Greens

05 - 1/2 cup fresh dill sprigs
06 - 1/2 cup fresh chervil or parsley leaves
07 - 1/4 cup microgreens

→ Dressing

08 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
09 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
10 - 1 tsp honey
11 - 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Steps:

01 - Using a mandoline slicer or vegetable peeler, thinly shave the fennel, carrots, golden beet, and red onion into wispy, translucent ribbons.
02 - Soak the shaved vegetables in ice water for 5 to 10 minutes to crisp and curl the edges, then drain and pat dry.
03 - Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until combined.
04 - Arrange the vegetable ribbons tightly in a circular pattern on a large plate, allowing edges to overlap and extend outward for a blurred spinning effect.
05 - Scatter dill, chervil or parsley, and microgreens over the vegetables, focusing extra herbs toward the outer edges for a delicate, wispy appearance.
06 - Drizzle the dressing evenly over the arranged vegetables just before serving.

# Expert Insights:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent hours in the kitchen when it actually takes 25 minutes, making you feel like a culinary genius.
  • The crisp, clean flavors let every vegetable shine instead of fighting each other for attention.
02 -
  • The mandoline will slice your fingertip as easily as it slices a carrot—use the guard or hold the vegetable with a kitchen towel, not with bare fingers.
  • If your vegetables aren't thin enough, they won't curl or create that dreamlike blurred effect, so really commit to making them nearly translucent.
03 -
  • Keep your vegetables cold and crisp by storing them in the ice water until the last moment, then pat them completely dry so the dressing doesn't slip off.
  • The secret to making this feel restaurant-quality is committing to the spiral pattern—don't just toss everything together; build it with intention and let the geometry do the work.
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