The Spinning Top Salad (Printable Page)

A crisp and colorful salad featuring thin vegetable ribbons with fresh herbs and a light citrus dressing.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium fennel bulb
02 - 2 small rainbow carrots
03 - 1 small golden beet, peeled
04 - 1/2 small red onion

→ Herbs & Greens

05 - 1/2 cup fresh dill sprigs
06 - 1/2 cup fresh chervil or parsley leaves
07 - 1/4 cup microgreens

→ Dressing

08 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
09 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
10 - 1 teaspoon honey
11 - 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
12 - Salt, to taste
13 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Steps:

01 - Using a mandoline slicer or vegetable peeler, thinly shave the fennel, carrots, golden beet, and red onion into delicate, translucent ribbons.
02 - Submerge the shaved vegetables in ice water for 5 to 10 minutes to enhance crispness and encourage curling, then drain thoroughly and pat dry.
03 - Whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
04 - On a large platter, arrange the vegetable ribbons in a tight circular pattern, overlapping the edges and extending outward to create a blurred, spinning visual effect.
05 - Scatter dill, chervil or parsley, and microgreens over the arranged vegetables, concentrating more herbs along the outer edges for a wispy appearance.
06 - Drizzle the prepared dressing evenly over the salad immediately before serving to preserve texture and flavor.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks like it took hours but comes together in 25 minutes—the kind of dish that feels like a minor miracle.
  • Every vegetable becomes delicate and almost translucent, revealing colors and flavors you didn't know were there.
  • It's a quiet confidence on the plate; people always ask what you did differently.
02 -
  • Wet vegetables slip off the mandoline and stick to each other—dry them well after the ice bath or your spiral will collapse into a tangled knot.
  • The dressing is subtle on purpose; if it tastes too sharp in the bowl, it will be perfect once it mingles with the vegetables.
03 -
  • Soak your vegetables in ice water with a tiny pinch of salt—it seasons them gently and helps them stay even crisper.
  • If the dressing breaks or separates, add a drop of water and whisk again; sometimes the simplest fix is just a little patience.
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