Chicken, Fennel, Chicory and Kaki Salad

I love fennel, the subtle aniseed flavour is unique to vegetables, and raw it's ideal for a crunchy salad. I paired the fennel with slightly bitter cultivated chicory and tangy-sweet persimmon kaki. Together with a tarragon-mustard vinaigrette and some added chicken strips create a tasteful, unique and fresh salad.

Ingredients | Serves 4

3	Chicken filets
2	Large fennels with green leaves
4	White cultivated chicory (Belgian endive)
2	Persimmon kaki
6 Tbsp	Sunflower oil
2 tsp	Tomato juice
1 Tbsp	Tarragon mustard or plain mustard
2 Tbsp	White wine vinegar
	Salt and pepper to season

Preparation

Season the chicken fillets with salt and pepper and fry them in a little oil until cooked and slightly browned. Set aside and let them cool.
Pluck the fennel leaves from the stems and put aside for decoration. Cut the bottom and the stems off the fennel bulbs and then using a kitchen slicer, cut the bulbs into fine slices.
Slightly salt the sliced fennel and set aside. The salt will help to soften the fennel.
Wash and then cut the chicory into 1 cm wide strips.
Wash and cut the persimmon kaki lengthwise into quarters and slice the quarters thinly.
Cut the cooled chicken fillets into 5 mm strips.
In a large bowl, gently toss the fennel, chicory, and kaki slices together. Add the chicken strips.
Mix the sunflower oil, the vinegar, mustard, and tomato juice to a vinaigrette — season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add to the salad and mix to cover all the ingredients.

Serving | Spoon the salad into small bowls or deep plates and sprinkle with the plucked fennel leaves.