The new winter salad

Over the holidays I made this new salad at least twice because it was so good -- crunchy and clean, a bit of a palate cleanser.  Perhaps, like me, you are looking for new ideas that get you out of your old food ruts.  Salads that are fast, easy, and don't take much prep or plan-ahead time are hard to come by, especially in the winter.  I do love the roasted beet types, and the fruit-and-nut combinations, and the occasional citrus and avocado combo, but all of those take some time to put together or roast ahead.  Here's one that doesn't.  With the caveat that you must shop for the ingredients because you likely won't have them on hand, it is a cinch.

Goes beautifully with baked salmon and rich scalloped potatoes with Gruyere.  Just saying.

Fennel-endive-pomegranate salad
adapted from this recipe in Martha Stewart Living, December 2012
serves 4-6 as part of a meal

1 fennel bulb, halved and cored, and very thinly sliced
a handful of trimmed fennel fronds
2 firm heads of Belgian endive, white or red (white is easier to find so that's what I use), ends trimmed off, rinsed and then roughly chopped
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1/4 cup toasted walnuts, broken by hand into bite-size pieces
1/3 cup good quality olive oil
3 Tb. freshly squeezed lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Arrange the sliced fennel, fronds, endive and pomegranate seeds on a platter or shallow bowl.  Shake the oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper together in a small jar, until emulsified.  Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to lightly coat.  Sprinkle with walnuts to finish.