Farm Greens Salad with Shaved Fennel, Parmesan and Melted-Leek Vinaigrette

All photography by Gary Payne. 

Recipe by Urban Kitchen Group’s (UKG) executive chef Tim Kolanko.

Serves 6

• 2 leeks, chopped
• 3 oz. extra-virgin olive oil, divided use
• Salt to taste
• 1 Tbsp. local honey
• 2 Tbsp. mint, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. colatura di’ alici (an Italian fish sauce)
• 1 1/2 oz. white-wine vinegar
• 1 handful arugula
• 4 heads small mixed lettuces
• 1 fennel, roughly chopped
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• 4 oz. Parmesan cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler

Put the leeks in a small pan with 1 1/2 ounces of the olive oil. Season with salt and cook on low for 30 minutes until the leeks are very soft. Remove them from heat and add the honey, mint, colatura di’ alici, vinegar and remaining olive oil.

Trim, wash and dry the lettuces. Then toss them with the fennel and vinaigrette, season with salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top.