Winter and salads don’t usually invoke a shared memory. When I think back to foods we used to eat in winter during my childhood, there were mostly big dishes filled with hearty stews, soups, casseroles and meat with grains. There was Salisbury steak, pork chops cooked in rice in a dutch oven with green peppers (don’t even get me started on that one), lasagna, beef dips from leftover roasts, chicken legs, pork chops in breading and cooked in swimming pools of oil over an ancient electric frying pan. These were comfort foods of the highest order. My mother, sister and I and our love of comfort foods goes back so far it can’t be traced. My mother brought it to us and her mother to her and so it goes, back through time.
But in my never ending quest to reverse my love of all things sugary, fatty, meaty, deep fried, baked with cheese….well, you get the picture, I have learned to love salads in the winter. The only thing that held me back was the availability of anything even remotely “local”. Yes, I make exceptions, for things like bananas and avocados. Look, avocados are my life okay? My freaking life. And bananas, well, they make up a good share of my morning smoothie. But I won’t go so far as to buy tomatoes in January, unless they come in a jar. They are just not good. Luckily for me, most of BC can grow a fair amount of produce in the winter and California provides the rest. I know it’s no 100 mile diet, but I need my citrus in the winter, and so I rely heavily on a farm in California called Deer Creek Heights Ranch. They supply a local grocery chain here with innumerable varieties of citrus, from navel oranges to grapefruits, to finger limes and limequats. I live for the time of year when they start showing up in the produce aisles.
So for now, when January comes around, I like to think of it as a little peek into spring and summer. I lead up to it by eating more salad, which is also a great way to stick to my clean eating plan. They keep me on track and I eat them with fervour. Because, come the weekend, I inevitably go out to eat at places like Smoken Bones CookShack or Bin 4 Burgers. I like to save my indulgences for then. Because, anyone that knows me, knows I will eat my face off come weekend. The salads are just making up for it.
This salad embraces the best of winter produce with endive (ehn-deev), fennel bulbs and filling barley all topped off with a beautiful citrus dressing. What could be more refreshing?
One year ago: Lightened Up Cream of Mushroom Soup
Two years ago: Barley Risotto with Peas (I guess I love barley in late January…)
Endive, Fennel and Barley Salad
Yield: Two to four servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: N/AFor the Barley:
1 cup pearl barley
3 cups water or stock
1/2-1 tsp salt (optional)For the Dressing:
zest of half an orange
juice of one orange
juice of one Meyer lemon
1 tsp poppy seeds
1 tbsp raw agave syrup
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp Dijon mustard
For the Salad:
100g spring mix (about 4 cups)
2 small heads endive (not curly), Halved and sliced into thin half moons
1 small fennel bulb, halved and sliced very thin (discard hard center pieces and fronds)
1/2 avocado, diced
1/2 red onion, sliced very thin
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 cup cooked barley
80g fresh goat cheese (chèvre)1. For the Barley: Rinse barley three times in cold water and drain thoroughly. Place in a saucepan fitted with a lid with water and salt and bring to a boil uncovered.
2. Cover, lower to a simmer and cook for 45-50 minutes or until the water has been absorbed. Turn off heat and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Set aside.3. For the Dressing: Place all ingredients in a food processor (or use a blender) and blend until combined. Set aside until needed.
4. For the Salad: Place the spring mix on two or four plates, sprinkle the endive and fennel over. Place a small pile of barley over each salad (1/2 to 3/4 cup is usually good), followed by the red onions, avocado and cilantro.
5. Crumble the goat cheese over followed by the dressing. Serve immediately.
Similarly delicious recipes from other fabulous food blogs:
Fennel Infused Vodka from Kitchen Konfidence
Fennel Gratin from A Full Measure of Happiness
Beet and Fennel Soup with Kefir from Love and Olive Oil
Rice Noodle Salad with Endive, Shrimp and Soy-Ginger Dressing from Cookin’ Canuck
Endive Pomegranate Salad from Rawmazing
I don’t know what it is about January but it always makes me crave citrus and light airy meals – not the usual heartier winter fare that I love in Nov and Dec. Maybe it’s all the overindulgence of the holidays. I just want white walls and furniture and lemons! This looks just lovely, Liz!
Definitely has to do with over indulging over the holidays for me. Must cleanse after December!
Mmmmm.. that is definitely one light and airy meal — love winter’s in January! Need to get my hands on meyer lemons too. Never tried it before and can’t wait 😀
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com recently posted..Palak Paneer
You will forever be changed, they are just amazing smelling!
I live for avocados too. I probably eat a whole one everyday. Every two days if I’m pacing myself. Fennel and avocado together? I must have it.
Deanna recently posted..Macaroni and Cheese-The Only Good Thing I Got From My Ex
I would die without California avocados..>Florida ones, not so much…
Growing up my mother rarely ever served a salad. My father didn’t enjoy salad so we didn’t have them. My love of salad started in college and hasn’t stopped.
I love the combinations in your salad. delicious looking!
Maureen recently posted..Day One of Homemade Vanilla Extract
I knew salad growing up as hunks of carrots and green peppers in some iceburg lettuce and awesome Caesars. This explains my journey to the finest salads.
Beautiful pictures Elizabeth! I loved the dressing on this salad. Yum!
I love chevre in salad. I could never get enough of this.:)
I could eat that stuff like butter…maybe I will!
We are both looking forward to enjoying one of your many salad concoctions when we get home. I have to say you have a much better imagination when it comes to salad ingredients than I ever did. Can’t find endive down here but the dressing sounds lovely, I’ll be using it tonight.
I’ve had a few conversations with the ladies on the beach about green peppers. I wondered if it was something wrong with me that I missed the other colours. They all looked at me as if I was crazy and informed me that they were the only peppers that were available in the markets for years and were considered for many years to be an exotic vegetable.
I’ll bet you don’t remember the purple and chocolate brown ones we grew in the greenhouse?
Aha! I doooo remember…but I remember them tasting like green peppers…ha! Did you know I’m a member of the Green Pepper Haters Club on Facebook…? 😉
I’m a winter salad girl too, I just posted one as well! I love anything that combines orange and goat cheese.
Jackie @ Domestic Fits recently posted..The Best Little Quinoa Salad Ever
YUM!
It looks likes a great meal. I would definitely love to try it.
I have never tried this Endive, Fennel and Barley Salad. Looks like they are nice combination. I will try this out. Thanks for sharing the salad recipe. I am excited to try this out!
I just discovered your blog and boy am I glad! This looks like a beautiful salad.
This looks delicious! i never tried this Endive, Fennel and Barley salad. And i’ve been looking for something exactly like this. I’m so excited to try this recipe one day. Thanks for the post.
Hmmm – Such a lovely combination of flavors. Looks like the perfect meal.
Eliana recently posted..Buttermilk Doughnuts with Raspberry Coulis
I try to mix up my meals… soothing stews and light, refreshing salads, like yours here. Just love the combination of all of these ingredients!
Very light and healthy food. this is very advisable for people who watch their diet and at same time to people who are vegetarian. I love vegetable salad! I want to try to do this recipe. Thanks for sharing this to us.
Love the light salad – now with only 2 weeks left there is is only so much i can eat this sounds perfect!
Delishhh recently posted..The Best Ribs
I am so happy for you! two weeks! Whoo hoo!
Gorgeous salad and photos love! Sigh, not that I eat overly too many bad for you foods there are still a few that haunt me. I’m trying to do better this so I will be making this for sure to help me get through until my own weekends. Love “eating my face off through the weekends” so true ;D
Tickled Red recently posted..Barbados ¦ Part One – Deep Seeded Love
Glad I’m not the only one! Salads just make us all feel better…:)
2 of my favorites endive and fennel, this looks refreshing and delicious. A “winter white” salad. Thanks for stopping by Foodtrainers love your blog.
It is a fav winter treat for sure.