Watercress Salad
User Reviews
5
Watercress Salad
Description
Watercress Salad features a mix of fresh green watercress leaves paired with blanched snap peas and thinly sliced fennel for a crisp vegetable base. The addition of juicy orange segments and creamy avocado introduces soft, sweet, and buttery notes. Fresh mozzarella torn into pieces adds a mild dairy richness. The salad is lightly dressed with champagne vinaigrette, which lends a delicate acidity that accents the natural flavors without overpowering them. Toasted pistachios sprinkled on top provide a crunchy contrast and a mildly sweet, nutty element.
The preparation includes blanching the snap peas briefly to maintain their crunch and a bright green color, while the fennel is gently tossed with a bit of dressing and salt to soften its texture. The salad is assembled carefully to layer the textures and flavors, finished with seasoning of salt, pepper, and a fresh squeeze of lemon. This combination makes the salad a versatile starter or side dish, offering a fresh and subtly complex flavor profile.
Serve this salad chilled or at room temperature. The varied textures from tender avocado to crunchy nuts and crisp vegetables create a lively mouthfeel. The citrus and vinaigrette brighten the dish, making it suitable for spring or summer meals or as a light counterpoint to richer mains.
Ingredients
- 4 ounces snap peas
- 1 fennel bulb very thinly sliced on a mandoline
- champagne vinaigrette
- 3 cups watercress
- navel orange segments from ½ orange
- 1 avocado sliced, ripe
- 2 ounces mozzarella torn, fresh
- 2 tablespoons pistachios toasted
- salt sea salt; freshly ground black pepper
- black pepper sea salt; freshly ground black pepper
- lemon for serving, wedge
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and set a bowl of ice water nearby. Drop the snap peas into the boiling water and blanch for 2 minutes. Remove the snap peas and immediately immerse in the ice water long enough to cool completely, about 15 seconds. Drain and place on a kitchen towel or paper towels to dry.
- In a small bowl, combine the sliced fennel with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the dressing and a pinch of salt. Gently toss to coat.
- Assemble the salad on a platter with the watercress, fennel, snap peas, orange segments, avocado, and mozzarella. Drizzle with some of the dressing and top with the pistachios. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon, and serve.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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