Recipe Fennel & cucumber salad with crème fraiche and green peas 

Salad ingredients

- 1 fennel bulb
- ½ cucumber
- ½ cup fresh peas
- Squeeze of lemon
- 1 green onion, sliced with tops included  
- 1 cup arugula
- 4-5 radish
- few sprigs of fresh tarragon
- few sprigs of fresh dill
 

Crème fraîche lemon sauce
- ¾ cup crème fraiche or greek yogurt 
- 1 lemon

- pinch of salt
- tablespoon olive oil
- pepper
 

Croutons 
3-4 slices of good bread
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 160C. In a bowl, mix the chopped bread with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Make sure the bread crumbs are evenly coated. Place onto a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes. You want the croutons to be crunchy but not burned. Let cool. 

Shell the fresh peas. Thinly slice the green onion. In a bowl, combine the peas and onion. Season with a squeeze of lemon, olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside. Thinly slice the fennel, cucumber and radish with the help of a mandoline or very sharp knife. Combine them in a bowl and season with a generous pinch of salt. Keep in the fridge while preparing the sauce. 

To make the sauce, add the creme fraiche, lemon, salt, pepper and olive oil to a bowl. Mix to combine. 

In a large salad bowl combine the fennel cucumber and radish mix with the arugula, chopped dill and tarragon. Dollop on the creme fraiche sauce and mix gently with two serving spoons to coat the vegetables evenly. Season with salt and pepper. Add lemon if needed. Spoon the pea and green onions over the fennel salad. Finish with the crunchy croutons. Serve cold and serve immediately.