Hearty white lupini beans, crisp fennel and radishes get a fresh lift from lemon and parsley. Crispy fried capers add salty little bites throughout. Serve this Mediterranean-inspired salad with sourdough bread for lunch.
White lupini beans make this salad filling without letting the vegetables fade into the background. They have a firm, slightly nutty bite and soak up dressing well. Use beans from a jar or vacuum pack that are sold ready to eat; lupini beans must be processed correctly for this. Rinse and drain them so the salty liquid from the pack doesn’t overpower the fresh dressing. Some lupini beans have a firm skin. You can leave it on or remove it if you prefer a softer texture.
Fennel and radishes each bring a different kind of crunch. Fennel sliced paper-thin is juicy and lightly aniseed-flavoured, while radishes add a sharper, peppery note. A mandoline makes for even slices, but a sharp knife works too; just cut them as thinly as is practical. The salad is a good fit for the transition from spring to summer, when fennel and radishes are often widely available, but it isn’t tied to any particular season. Choose fennel bulbs that feel firm and radishes with smooth skins.
Lemon brings two kinds of freshness: the juice brightens the oil-based dressing, while small pieces of flesh add a juicy, tart bite as you eat. Lightly crushing the fennel seeds releases their aroma and helps it spread through the dressing. Use a mortar and pestle or the flat side of a knife; there’s no need to grind them finely. Dry the capers before they go into the hot oil. This helps prevent the oil from splattering and lets them crisp up. Remove them from the pan as soon as they open up and drain them so they keep their crispy edges.
Can’t find lupini beans? Large white beans are a handy alternative, although they’re usually softer and less firm. Preferably use capers packed in salt or brine and rinse them; then dry them well. A little extra lemon juice can freshen the dressing if the beans or capers taste salty. You can replace the parsley with finely chopped dill, which goes well with fennel. Keep the rest of the salad simple: sourdough bread is all you need to mop up the dressing. Serve the salad shortly after mixing for maximum crunch; store leftovers covered in the fridge and keep the bread separate.
Cut the fennel bulb into paper-thin slices and the radishes into thin rounds. Finely chop the parsley. Use a sharp knife to cut segments of flesh from the lemon and catch the juice; squeeze the rest of the lemon.
Coarsely crush the fennel seeds in a mortar and pestle. Mix them with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and black pepper. Taste before adding salt: the lupini beans and capers may already be salty.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the dry capers and fry for 2–3 minutes, until they open up and turn crispy. Transfer them to paper towels.
Combine the lupini beans, fennel, radishes, parsley and lemon segments in a large bowl. Toss with the dressing and taste; add a little more lemon juice if needed.
Divide the salad between two plates and scatter the crispy capers over the top. Serve with sourdough bread.
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