If you’re looking for an easy way to use up all of your fennel – try adding it to slaw OR even better – this fennel based crunchy slaw with creamy dressing! Like a lot of things, a food processor with a slicing blade works best for getting the fennel into super thin slices. If you don’t have one use a mandoline, or just carefully slice the peppers and fennel as thin as possible. If the vegetables look at all watery, drain before tossing with the dressing. I love the purple pepper here (which is actually an unripe pepper that ultimately turn orange and yellow), but any variety of bell pepper will do.
For the dressing, this easy buttermilk yogurt dressing is my new favorite for any salad. Mix plain yogurt with tangy buttermilk, then season generously with black pepper, salt, and garlic. Finish with red wine vinegar and chives. I might be stretching a bit, but this dressing tastes like a healthy version of ranch. I’m whipping up a larger batch to keep on hand for dipping! If the yogurt and buttermilk combo is too tangy for you, sub sour cream for half of the yogurt.
Fennel Pepper Slaw with Buttermilk Dressing
1 fennel bulb
1 bell pepper, any variety
1/2 cup of plain yogurt
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
lots of fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced chives
1 small garlic clove, grated
Prep the vegetables. Remove the very bottom of the fennel bulb and the green tops, then slice into quarters. Slice the pepper in half and remove the core and stem. Use a food processor or mandoline (sharp knife if you don’t have either) to shred the fennel bulb and pepper into super-thin slices. Toss together in a bowl.
Make the dressing. Mix the dressing to combine, taste and add more black pepper or salt if necessary. Toss the dressing and vegetables together.
