Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Fennel & Orange Salad


I love salads like this. Super simple, no washing, or spinning lettuce & it looks so gourmet. It is sure to really impress your family, or dinner guests.
I love the flavors used in this dish. I am especially fond of fennel. My Italian grandmother frequently served it & it always reminds me of her. If you've never tried it, it has a subtle licorice flavor & a texture similar to celery.

Cut half of a small red onion into very thin slices. Place in a bowl of cold water & chill for 15 minutes. This helps mellow the flavor.
Next, cut one large, trimmed fennel bulb in quarters lengthwise. Cut most of the core away from each section, leaving a bit in place, to help hold the slices together. Thinly slice the fennel sections lengthwise.


Cut the ends off two navel oranges. Sit the oranges on one end & using a sharp knife, cut along the contour of the each, removing the peel & pith. Working over a bowl, to collect the juice, cut the segments out of the oranges, removing any seeds. Place the segments in the bowl with the juice & squeeze in any remaining juice from the cores.

Next, slice up 6 pitted, dry-cured black olives {Kalamata olives will work here too}. To make the dressing, whisk together 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice & a 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt in a mixing bowl until emulsified.

Drain the red onion. Transfer the fennel & red onion to a serving platter.

Arrange the orange slices on top & pour the orange juice over the salad. Scatter the olives on top & drizzle the whole salad with the dressing. Garnish with 1 teaspoon of chopped fresh mint.
This salad can be made ahead of time. Add the dressing & mint just before serving.

Fennel & Orange Salad

Adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine; Real Italian Issue
Serves 4

1/2 small red onion
2 large navel oranges, or blood oranges
1 large fennel bulb
6 dry-cured black olives, pitted & coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon minced fresh mint

Cut the red onion into very thin slices. Place in a bowl of cold water & chill for 15 minutes. This helps mellow the flavor.
Cut the ends off of the oranges. Sit the orange on one end & using a sharp knife, cut along the contour of the orange, removing the peel & pith. Working over a bowl, to collect the juice, cut the segments out of the oranges, removing any seeds. Place the segments in the bowl with the juice & squeeze any remaining juice from the cores.
Next, cut the fennel bulb in quarters lengthwise. Trim most of the core away from each section, leaving a bit in place, to help hold the slices together. Thinly slice the fennel sections lengthwise. Drain the red onion.
To make the dressing, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice & kosher salt in a mixing bowl until emulsified.
Transfer the fennel & red onion to a serving platter. Arrange the orange slices on top & pour the orange juice over the salad. Scatter the olives & mint on top & drizzle the whole salad with the dressing.
This salad can be made ahead of time. Add the dressing & mint just before serving.

Click here for the printable recipe.

5 comments:

Simply Colette said...

Yum! that looks delicious! I love your food photography. :)

Chocolate Shavings said...

One of my favorite salad combination and your presentation looks great!

Karen said...

Such a beautiful salad and I love the combination of flavors. The olives are really a nice touch to this. Thanks for the tip about icing down the red onion - didn't know it mellowed the flavor!

diva said...

You blog so clearly and with such gorgeous photographs! This looks really yum. I knew I should have bought fennel today at the supermarket.

Anonymous said...

Making this tonight. I already dressed it, though - will it still be ok for dinner tomorrow?

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