Italian Orange and Fennel Salad
Authentic orange and fennel salad, a Sicilian winter classic!
Ingredients
- 2 large, or 3 medium oranges
- 2 medium-sized fennel bulbs
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Slice oranges by slicing off both the top and bottom ends so it doesn’t roll when you cut away the peel. Standing the orange on one of the cut ends, cut away the peel being careful not to leave too much of the pith and to not remove the actual fruit. Proceed to cut the orange into round slices.
- Arrange orange slices on the serving platter.
- Clean the fennel bulbs: remove the fronds and set aside for garnish. Rinse the fennel under running water and remove the external, tough “leaves” or most outer shell of the bulb.
- With a sharp knife, slice the fennel as thinly as possible. Better yet, use a mandolin if you have one. Remove the inner core rings of the fennel once sliced (or as best you can).
- Gently lay the fennel on top of the orange slices and drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Chop the fennel fronds and garnish.
Notes
Classic Italian Additions
- Add two Tablespoons toasted walnuts or pine nuts (I personally prefer walnuts). Toast pine nuts or roughly chopped walnuts over low heat in a saute pan for 10 minutes or so until fragrant and lightly golden. Add to the salad once cooled.
- Rehydrate two tablespoons of raisins in orange juice for 15 minutes and add to the top of the salad along with two tablespoons toasted pine nuts.
- Dress with a vinaigrette of red wine vinegar, a squeeze of lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper.
- Finish with capers that have been drained and rinsed.
- Add a handful of black olives, either whole or roughly chopped.
- Use blood oranges instead of regular oranges.
Serve With
This is an amazing salad because it lightens up so many meals and brings so much color to the table. Here are our favorite ways to eat it in our house.- with any grilled meats such as pork chops or ribs
- following a rich beef stew
- with fish that is either pan fried, grilled or baked in the oven
- as a second course after a soup
- with a mixed board of crostini and/or cured meats for a light supper or easy lunch
Notes and Tips
- Try to cut the fennel as thinly as possible. It’s very common for Italians to have meat slicers at home (because of all the cured meats they eat) so that is what I use to get my fennel very thin. A sharp knife will do just fine but take your time.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!