A bright, citrusy salad with creamy mozzarella and a nutty, vivid green pesto—perfect with fresh bread!
Ingredients for the salad
- 1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced
- 4–5 small clementines (or 2–3 larger ones)
- 1 ball mozzarella, torn into bite-sized pieces
- A pinch of sea salt
- Handful of crushed pistachios, for garnish
The Pesto
- ½ cup shelled pistachios (plus extra for garnish)
- ½ cup cooked spinach, squeezed dry
- 1 tbsp ricotta
- 1 small garlic clove
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Juice of ½ a clementine
- Salt to taste
Method
1. Thinly slice the fennel bulb and place in a bowl. Squeeze 2–3 clementines over the fennel, add a pinch of sea salt, and let it sit while you make the pesto.
2. In a blender or food processor, combine pistachios, cooked spinach, ricotta, garlic, olive oil, and clementine juice. Blend until smooth, adding a splash of water or extra olive oil if needed to reach a spoonable consistency. Season with salt.
3. Arrange the marinated fennel on a serving plate. Scatter over the remaining clementine segments and torn mozzarella.
4. Drizzle the spinach pistachio pesto over the salad, then sprinkle with crushed pistachios for crunch. Serve with fresh bread on the side.
This is such a stunning mix of flavours—the aniseed crunch of fennel, the sweetness of clementine, the creamy mozzarella, and that rich, nutty pesto. It’s proof that when you use fresh, seasonal ingredients, simple dishes shine!
Would love to know—did you serve this as a starter or a main? I bet it would be perfect with a crisp white wine!