Red and Green Salad

Because fennel has a pleasant crunch, it makes a good contrast to the ingredients in today’s simple salad. Double the ingredients for a larger salad.

3 or 4 medium tomatoes
1 avocado
1 fennel bulb
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
3/4 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
3/4 teaspoon Marlborough flaky sea salt
freshly milled black pepper
1/2 teaspoon shredded kaffir lime leaf (or grated lemon zest)

Slice the tomatoes. Halve, peel and sliced or dice the avocado and toss in half of the lemon juice to preserve the colour. Remove the broad outer layers of the fennel bulb and cut into matchstick pieces. Save some of the feathery top for garnish.

Arrange the tomato and avocado on a serving platter and scatter the fennel around the edge.

Shake together the remaining lemon juice and other ingredients and sprinkle over the salad. Allow to stand 15 minutes before serving and garnish with the feathery bits.

This salad goes well with sliced smoked chicken breast.