It’s nearly Mother’s Day and this smoked salmon, fennel and watercress salad is the perfect thing to serve for a light lunch or as a starter. It’s quick and easy to put together so there’s even a chance that someone may do all the hard work for you. The combination of ingredients works really well creating a fresh, punchy salad that is not overbearing. The dressing ties everything together, its sharpness cutting through the smoky richness of the fish.

If I’m serving this as a starter I like it just as it is, no bread needed. When serving it as a main however, I think some freshly baked ciabatta spread thickly with salted butter goes brilliantly – it is Mother’s Day after all.

Smoked Salmon, Fennel and Watercress Salad

Course: Lunch, Soup and Light Dinners, Mains

Prep Time: 10 mins

Servings: 4 people (as a starter; 8 for a main)

Author: Anna Bloomfield

Smoked salmon, watercress and wafer thin fennel served with a punchy dressing. Serve on Mother’s Day as a starter or a light lunch.

Print Recipe

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Ingredients

For the dressing

• 4 tablespoons flavourless oil
• 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon honey

For the salad

• 1 small bulb fennel
• 120 g watercress
• ⅓ of a cucumber
• 200 g smoked salmon

Instructions

For the dressing

• Place all the dressing ingredients into a jar, screw the lid on tightly and shake well. Pour into a serving jug or bowl.

For the salad

• Cut the stalks from the fennel reserving the fronds. Remove the tough outer leaves from the bulb then cut it into very thin slivers using either a mandolin or knife. If using a knife then make sure it’s very sharp and take your time or you will end up with slices that are thick and tough.
• Cut the cucumber into half-moon slices.

To assemble

• Layer the smoked salmon, watercress, fennel and cucumber onto the plate. Scatter over some of the fennel fronds and a little black pepper as a garnish.
• Serve with the dressing on the side for people to help themselves to.

Nutrition

Calories: 234kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g (4%) | Protein: 11g (22%) | Fat: 16g (25%) | Saturated Fat: 1g (5%) | Cholesterol: 11mg (4%) | Sodium: 478mg (20%) | Potassium: 496mg (14%) | Fiber: 2g (8%) | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 22.6% | Vitamin C: 35.4% | Calcium: 7.4% | Iron: 5.7%

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