This salad will offer several flavors and textures: the anise-tasting fennel, the light acidity of the lime juice, the sweetness of the grapes, the saltiness of the Parmesan cheese, the crunch of the pine nuts. 

This salad takes hardly any time to prepare, but marinating the sliced fennel will take about 20 to 30 minutes.

Ingredients

• 2 Fennel
• 200 grams of white, seedless grapes
• Some pine nuts
• Some Parmesan cheese, shaved
• A small handful of rocket
• Some small and tasty tomatoes (optional)
• Lime juice
• Olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper and sea salt.

Method

1. Thinly slice the fennel. Do not use the stems; they generally taste bitter. If you have a mandolin, use it, or a box grater, to get the thinnest possible slices. 
2. In a bowl, mix the fennel and the lime juice. The lime juice will slowly cook the fennel and soften its texture. Set aside for at least 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a skillet (not using any oil).
4. Cut each of the grapes in half.
5. In the oven or in a skillet, roast the tomatoes until soft. Tomatoes are completely optional in this dish but they do add another texture and another color.
6. Mix the rocket in with the fennel.
7. Divide the mixture over the salad dishes (if serving individual portions).
8. Add the halved grapes and optionally one tomato per portion.
9. Using a slicer, cut shavings from your piece of Parmesan cheese.
10. Sprinkle the pine nuts on top.
11. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
12. Dress the salad using a good quality olive oil.  

Vary on this recipe by replacing the Parmesan with goat cheese.