- 2 medium fennel bulbs
- 2 Granny Smith apples, unpeeled, halved, cored, and thinly sliced
- About 1½ ounces pecorino Romano, shaved with a vegetable peeler (½ cup shavings)
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Coarse salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Chop off the fronds where they meet the body of one fennel bulb. Halve the fennel, then thinly slice it, using a mandoline or a very sharp, thin-bladed chef's knife. Repeat with the other bulb. You should have 2 cups of slices. Set them aside. Chop 1 tablespoon of the fronds and set it aside separately. Discard the remaining fronds.
- Put the fennel and apple slices in a bowl. Add the pecorino Romano, lemon zest, ¼ cup olive oil, and parsley. Toss gently. Taste, and season with salt and pepper.
- Arrange the salad on a large, chilled serving plate. Drizzle more olive oil generously over the top, and scatter with the chopped fennel fronds just before serving.
- VARIATIONS
- If you can't find pecorino Romano cheese, or simply prefer Parmigiano-Reggiano, by all means substitute it.
- Crisp, sweet pears, such as Bosc, are a good autumnal replacement for the apples.