Apricot, Fennel and Watercress Salad

Name: Apricot, Fennel and Watercress Salad
Ingredients: 1 tsp freshly grated orange zest; 2 tsp fresh orange juice; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1/2 Fennel bulb, sliced thin lengthwise; 2 cups watercress sprigs, the coarse stems discarded and the springs washed and spun dry; 1 apricot, sliced

by Nadine | Feb 26, 2023 | Salads, Spring

Are you looking for a flavorful and nutritious salad that is filled to the gills with excellent ingredients? You need not look much further than this salad made with apricots, fennel, and watercress! The sweetness of the apricots, the juiciness of the fennel, and the pungency of the watercress come together to provide the ideal harmony of tastes and textures in this dish.

This salad is delicious on its own as a light lunch option, or it may serve as an accompaniment to your preferred main meal. It can be prepared in a short amount of time with little effort, and the dazzling tastes and colors are guaranteed to leave an impression on your visitors. Get your apricots, fennel, and watercress ready, because we’re about to get started here!

Apricot, fennel, and watercress salad is a nutritious dish that offers several health benefits.

Health Benefits

Rich in Antioxidants: Apricots are rich in vitamin C, which has a powerful antioxidant that helps shield cells from injury from dangerous chemicals. Fennels are high in antioxidants which can help prevent oxidative stress and lower the risk of chronic diseases.
Rich in Fiber: Both watercress and fennel provide a lot of fiber, which supports heart health, healthy digestion, and blood sugar control.
Low in Calories: This salad is a low-calorie dish that can improve weight control and weight loss. Due to its high fiber content, it could also help you in feeling full and satisfied.
Good for Bone Health: Calcium, which is necessary for strong bones and teeth, is present in a lot of apricots. Furthermore beneficial for maintaining bone density, watercress is a wonderful source of calcium and other elements like iron and magnesium.
May Improve Heart Health: Potassium, which is present in fennel, can help control blood pressure and lower the risk of heart disease. The beneficial fat used in the salad dressing, olive oil, may help lower levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and minimize the risk of heart disease.

Overall, the salad’s ingredients—apricots, fennel, and watercress—offer a number of health advantages that can promote general health and illness prevention. This salad is not only very tasty but also very good for you in terms of its nutritional content. You may satisfy your want for something sweet while still meeting your daily requirement for greens by eating a salad made with apricots and fennel. The acidic flavor and pleasant crunch that the watercress contributes perfectly complement the fruit’s, natural sweetness.

Ingredient Substitute:

Lemon zest can be used as a substitute because it tastes similar to orange zest.
Lemon, lime, grapefruit, and tangerine juices are additional citrus juices that can be used in place of orange juice.
Celery can be used as a substitute since it has a mild, somewhat sweet flavor and a texture that is comparable to a fennel bulb.

Apricot, Fennel and Watercress Salad

Nadine Nelson

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Servings 2 persons

Ingredients

For the Dressing

1 tsp freshly grated orange zest
2 tsp fresh orange juice
2 tbsp olive oil

For the Salad

1/2 Fennel bulb, sliced thin lengthwise
2 cups watercress sprigs, the coarse stems discarded and the springs washed and spun dry
1 apricot, sliced

Instructions

In a bowl whisk the zest and the orange juice with salt to taste.
Whisk until the salt is dissolved.
Add the oil in a stream while whisking.
Whisk the dressing until it is emulsified.
In another bowl toss the fennel with half the dressing until it is coated well.
Add the watercress and apricot to the remaining dressing.
Toss it until it is just coated well.
Divide it between 2 plates.
Mounding the fennel in the middle.

Notes

Storage Instructions:

The salad should be kept in an airtight container to prevent the components from drying out. To do this, place the salad in a container with a tight-fitting lid.

Keep the dressing separate: It’s better to keep the dressing separate and apply it just before serving since if the salad is seasoned, the watercress can rapidly turn mushy.

Eat within a day: Apricot, fennel, and watercress salad is best eaten the same day that it is prepared. The apricots have a tendency to rot and the watercress to wilt soon.