La Salade Mentonnaise is a delicious fennel, orange and artichoke salad with pine nuts, topped with lemon zest and a tangy orange vinaigrette. The perfect side dish for grilled fish or chicken that you will crave all summer long! I fell in love with the French Riviera in Menton. A picturesque, citrus-hued village, and the last stop on La Cote d'Azur before you get to Italy, Menton is captivating. The lemon capital of France, the cuisine of Menton is fresh and full of zest, just like this salad!
Click here if you love French Summer Salads. You will love this post with my 11 favorite French Summer Salad Recipes.
The town that inspired the salad: Menton, France
I first visited Menton as an 18 year old backpacker from Canada, traveling through Europe with my friend, Ashley, a Eurorail pass and a hostel membership card. In less than a month we had travelled all through the UK and France, staying primarily in big cities. We were homesick and road weary and arriving in Menton felt like a breath of fresh air. Our first afternoon, lounging on the beach and eating fresh melon we had picked up at the market was "le coup de foudre".
We ended up staying nearly a week, using Menton as a base from which to explore the nearby cities such as Nice, Monaco, Eze and Ventimiliga, in Italy. When we left I vowed I would come back. And I did, 4 years later as an exchange student, which is when I met Le Chef. But that is a story for another blog post 🙂 Click here to read notre rencontre : the story of how we met.
Salad Saturday Series
La Salade Mentonnaise is recipe #5 in the Salad Saturday Series. We have been learning new, French inspired, salad recipe every week for 5 weeks. Every Saturday at 11am between May 21st and June 18th I offer a live cooking demonstration on Instagram Live. Join me for the wrap up on June 18th at 11am.
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Share your favorite Salad recipes using hashtag #saladsaturdayseries .
Equipment needed
A big salad bowl for mixing - like this one that I love from French Wink.
A mandolin - this is how Chefs get those paper thin slices of vegetables. A great way to up your plating skills!
A stainless steel sizzling platter is one of my most used kitchen accessories - it is the perfect size for roasting pine nuts.
A sturdy cutting board helps when cutting tough vegetables like Fennel. You don't want a cutting board that is slipping on your countertop! I always secure my cutting board to the countertop using jar gaskets.
A microplane is great for getting a fine lemon zest. I use mine all the time with everything from citrus fruits, to almonds to parmesan cheese.
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Ingredients for La Salade Mentonnaise for four
- 2 bulbs of fennel with the fronds attached
- 2 large oranges
- ½ cup of pine nuts
- 4 large artichoke hearts in oil (if you have smaller artichoke hearts use 8)
- Pinch of fresh sea salt
- 6 cups of mixed greens
Vinaigrette
- 4 tbsps olive oil
- 1 ½ tbsps balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsps fresh orange juice (from the oranges you use for segments)
- pinch of "fleur de sel" (flaky sea salt)
Instructions for fennel orange and artichoke salad
First, preheat your oven to 350.
Place then pine nuts on a dry cookie sheet or stainless steel sizzling platter . Bake for 8 minutes, stirring halfway through. This will bring out the rich nutty flavor of the pine nuts.
Meanwhile, cut up the fennel into thin slices. I like to cut off the fronds just as they are getting dark green, as well as the base of the fennel bulb by about ½ an inch. Peel off the tough outer leaves and then you can begin slicing. I suggest using a mandolin to get paper thin slices.
Next, cut up your oranges into segments. Le Chef's tip for getting beautiful orange segments is to cut off the peel of the orange using a sharp serrated knife. Then, holding the whole orange in his hand, he slices in between the ribs of each segment, taking out perfect orange pieces. You can watch how he does it on the instagram reel for La Mentonnaise. I suggest placing a bowl underneath your hands as you do this so that you catch all of the delicious fresh orange juice. When you have taken all the segments out of the orange squeeze the remaining juice into the bowl (you will use this for the vinaigrette) and discard the rest.
Then, chop up your artichoke hearts in halves or in quarters (depending on the size).
How to make the vinaigrette
In a small bowl add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, orange juice and fleur de sel.
Mix together. That's it! super simple and yummy!
Assembling the salad
- Place your mixed greens at the base of a large salad bowl
- Spread the fennel slices over top
- Add the artichokes
- Then the orange segments.
- Top with the roasted pine nuts
- Zest the lemon over everything
- Drizzle the vinaigrette over the top
- Toss all the ingredients together - mixing well to coat the vinaigrette over everything.
- Serve
How to serve La Salade Mentonnaise
La Salade Mentonnaise is best served immediately. Greens have a short span of life after they have vinaigrette on them.
*Le Chef's Wife tip: If you are making this salad in advance or bringing it to a BBQ, simply keep the vinaigrette in a jar on the side. Mix together just before serving.
This dish is best served "Italian Style" meaning the salad bowl is brought directly to the table and guests add the salad to their plates.
True Mentonnaise style would be to serve this salad as an accompaniment to grilled mediterranean fish such as Branzino or Rock fish.
I have served this salad with salmon or shrimp and it was so yummy. It pairs well with lemon grilled chicken too.
Wine Pairing for a fennel, orange and artichoke salad with pine nuts
I recently tried a white Beaujolais by Chateau de Corcelles that would pair deliciously with this salad. It was round and rich yet fruity. And of course, le Rosé. A crisp, dry Provençal Rosé goes beautifully with this salad. I really enjoy Château Minuty, Château les Valentines, Château de Berne and Whispering Angel. All of these are easily accessible in the US.
I hope you have enjoyed recipe #5 of the #saladsaturdayseries, La Mentonnaise - a fennel, orange and pine nut salad with artichokes.
Here are the other salads from the series that you might enjoy:
First Week: La Salade Niçoise
Second Week: La Salade Parisienne
Third Week: La Salade Lyonnaise
Fourth Week: La Salad Tropezienne
Please share your salad recipes with me using the #saladsaturdayseries hashtag on instagram or commenting below. I love to hear from you!
Au Plaisir,
Le Chef's Wife
La Salade Mentonnaise - a delicious Fennel, Orange and Artichoke Salad with Pine Nuts
- Prep Time: 12
- Cook Time: 8
- Total Time: 20
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: starters, salads, side dishes
- Method: salad
- Cuisine: French, vegan, vegetarian
Description
La Salade Mentonnaise is a delicious fennel, orange and artichoke salad with pine nuts and a citrus vinaigrette. Perfect with grilled fish.
Ingredients
Ingredients for La Salade Mentonnaise for four
- 2 bulbs of fennel with the fronds attached
- 2 large oranges
- ½ cup of pine nuts
- 4 large artichoke hearts in oil (if you have smaller artichoke hearts use 8)
- Pinch of fresh sea salt
- 6 cups of mixed greens
Vinaigrette
- 4 tbsps olive oil
- 1 ½ tbsps balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsps fresh orange juice (from the oranges you use for segments)
- pinch of "fleur de sel" (flaky sea salt)
Instructions
- preheat your oven to 350.
- Place then pine nuts on a dry cookie sheet or stainless steel sizzling platter . Bake for 8 minutes, stirring halfway through. This will bring out the rich nutty flavor of the pine nuts.
- Meanwhile, cut up the fennel into thin slices. I like to cut off the fronds just as they are getting dark green, as well as the base of the fennel bulb by about ½ an inch. Peel off the tough outer leaves and then you can begin slicing. I suggest using a mandolin to get paper thin slices.
- Next, cut up your oranges into segments. Le Chef's tip for getting beautiful orange segments is to cut off the peel of the orange using a sharp serrated knife. Then, holding the whole orange in his hand, he slices in between the ribs of each segment, taking out perfect orange pieces. You can watch how he does it on the instagram reel for La Mentonnaise. I suggest placing a bowl underneath your hands as you do this so that you catch all of the delicious fresh orange juice. When you have taken all the segments out of the orange squeeze the remaining juice into the bowl (you will use this for the vinaigrette) and discard the rest.
- Then, chop up your artichoke hearts in halves or in quarters (depending on the size).
How to make the vinaigrette
- In a small bowl add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, orange juice and fleur de sel.
- Mix together. That's it! super simple and yummy!
Assembling the salad
- Place your mixed greens at the base of a large salad bowl
- Spread the fennel slices over top
- Add the artichokes
- Then the orange segments.
- Top with the roasted pine nuts
- Zest the lemon over everything
- Drizzle the vinaigrette over the top
- Toss all the ingredients together - mixing well to coat the vinaigrette over everything.
- Serve
Notes
How to serve La Salade Mentonnaise
La Salade Mentonnaise is best served immediately. Greens have a short span of life after they have vinaigrette on them.
*Le Chef's Wife tip: If you are making this salad in advance or bringing it to a BBQ, simply keep the vinaigrette in a jar on the side. Mix together just before serving.
This dish is best served "Italian Style" meaning the salad bowl is brought directly to the table and guests add the salad to their plates.
True Mentonnaise style would be to serve this salad as an accompaniment to grilled mediterranean fish such as Branzino or Rock fish.
I have served this salad with salmon or shrimp and it was absolutely delicious. It pairs well with lemon grilled chicken too.
Wine Pairing for a fennel, orange and pine nut salad with artichokes
I recently tried a white Beaujolais by Chateau de Corcelles that would pair deliciously with this salad. It was round and rich yet fruity. And of course, le Rosé. A crisp, dry Provençal Rosé goes beautifully with this salad. I really enjoy Château Minuty, Château les Valentines, Château de Berne and Whispering Angel. All of these are easily accessible in the US.
I hope you have enjoyed recipe #5 of the #saladsaturdayseries, La Mentonnaise - a fennel, orange and pine nut salad with artichokes.
Here are the other salads from the series that you might enjoy:
First Week: La Salade Niçoise
Second Week: La Salade Parisienne
Third Week: La Salade Lyonnaise
Fourth Week: La Salad Tropezienne
Jacqueline Chalos says
Thank you for your response, I will continue to follow your blog for inspiration, in Chicago or Menton where I am returning this September, it was much too hot there last summer. You should come back sometime, it has changed a lot in the last few years. You would not recognize Les Sablettes, you can see pictures on the Web. I am also Canadian, from Montreal where I lived before moving to Chicago. I am signing up for your recipes.
Merci,
Jacqueline Chalos
Jacqueline Chalos says
Hello, I recently discovered the salade mentonnaise on the menu of the French restaurant Venteux in Chicago. I was very intrigued because I live in Menton half the year and I have never encountered this salad. It is a good idea, a nice mix of good ingredients. I was curious to find out if this salad existed in Menton already or is the recipe your creation? I will try your recipe and I am sure it will be delicious. The one in the restaurant was very similar to yours except the artichokes were small and slightly grilled. Congratulations on your blog and your recipe presentation.
Anina Belle Giannini says
Bonjour Jacqueline,
How fortunate that you live in Menton half the year! It is one of my favorite towns in the world! I don't think that there is an "official" Mentonnaise salad but I named it as such as the ingredients are all abundantly grown in Menton and I was creating the Salad Saturday Series inspired by the towns of France. Perhaps it should become the official salad of Menton??!!
Thank you for your kind words.
Bonnee journée,
Anina Belle
suzanne says
This sounds very easy, crisp and refreshing. Will make it for sure this summer!