You may someday find yourself with a bulb of fennel left over from making cream of fennel soup.
Perhaps you’ve got some left over mint from that salad full of herbs you ate earlier this week. And since it’s technically still March (despite the high of 73 degrees today), it’s no surprise that there is some citrus fruit sitting on your counter. When you find yourself in this situation, my friends, I recommend you make salad.
Fennel and orange is a classic Italian combination. Sliced ultra-thin, the licorice taste of fennel is toned down, leaving you with just a refreshing flavor.
Orange, mint, shallots, lemon juice, and just a bit of olive oil top the shaved fennel and walnuts give the salad a nice crunch. The true Italian version uses pine nuts, but I think walnuts work great, as would hazelnuts. You can toast the nuts if you’re feeling ambitious, but just tossing in a handful of raw ones does the trick. I’ve seen variations of this salad with olives, with honey, and even anchovies.
Whatever you choose to add to the salad, you’ll find it crisp and refreshing. The way a first course should be.
- 1 large fennel bulb, cored and shaved thin on mandolin, fronds reserved
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 2 large oranges, peeled and sliced into thin rounds with a sharp knife
- 3 tablespoons mint leaves, chopped
- ¼ cup walnuts, chopped (optional: toasted)
- juice from 1 small lemon
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper
- Combine shaved fennel, shallot, orange slices, mint, and walnuts in a large bowl.
- Whisk together lemon juice and olive oil. Pour over vegetables and toss to coat.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with fennel fronds.
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