Candied Chestnut, Blue Cheese and Fennel Salad

Prep: 15 minutes + chestnut prep time

Cook: 7 minutes

Serves: 4

Difficulty:

Cuisine:

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Recipe by: Chestnuts Australia

This easy fennel salad recipe with blue cheese is the ultimate salad for party entertaining. Top your salad with candied chestnuts for crunch. This fennel salad is a great recipe for Mother's Day lunch.

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Candied Chestnut, Blue Cheese and Fennel Salad

Ingredients:

Chestnuts

220g fresh chestnuts

1/4 cup white sugar

1 tbsp unsalted butter

Salad

1 bulb fennel, trimmed and halved lengthways (reserve fronds to serve)

2 oranges, peeled, all pith removed and sliced into rounds

1 small radicchio, washed and leaves separated

150g gorgonzola or similar soft blue cheese, roughly crumbled

Extra virgin olive oil, to serve

Crusty bread, to serve

Method:

Chestnuts

Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced)
Cut a shallow cross into the flat side of each chestnut shell, this prevents the nut from overheating and bursting while cooking
Place prepared chestnuts onto a baking tray and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the shells split open
Once cooked, remove chestnuts from the heat and wrap in a clean tea towel for 5 to 10 minutes. While chestnuts are still warm, quickly peel off the outer brown shell and remove the papery thin skin underneath
Heat a non-stick fry pan over medium heat, add cooked, peeled and quartered chestnuts, sugar and butter. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently so your mixture doesn't burn. When the sugar mixture starts melting, stir constantly until all sugar is melted and chestnuts are coated
Transfer immediately onto a sheet of baking paper and separate nuts away using two spatulas before they cool

Salad

To make salad, using a V-slicer or sharp knife, very finely slice fennel. Arrange fennel, radicchio, gorgonzola and oranges on a serving platter
Sprinkle with candied chestnuts and reserved fennel fronds. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, season and serve with crusty bread