I was at the local market and saw these beautiful, fresh fennel all lined up on the stand and I knew that I had to make something with fennel. Fennel is a superfood. It is high in antioxidants and vitamin C. It has a crunchy texture, it's refreshing and it also has a subtle sweetness to it. My finance is a very picky vegetable eater and he absolutely loves this salad. So for those who have men in their lives that think that they can live off just red meat, well tell them to try this salad. It might just change their minds.
Ingredients:
1/3 cup of hazelnuts (optional)
1 large fennel, leaves and stems removed
1 medium shallot
1 lemon (used for juice and zest)
1 tsp lemon zest
15-20 mint leaves (leave at least 6 leaves on the side for garnish)
3 medium blood oranges
If you decide to use hazelnuts, or any nuts, then place them on a dry pan and toast them over medium-heat. Be sure to shake the pan constantly to avoid burning -- about 3 minutes. Remove the hazelnuts from heat and allow to cool. Roll the nuts in a dishcloth, when cooled, to remove any loose skin (they are super bitter -- yuck!). I would then take a mallet and hit the nuts in the dishcloth until they are in coarse pieces. The loud bang of the mallet usually scares my dogs away, so feel free to use a different technique if you are worried about the noise.
Slice off the bottom of the fennel (about 1/4 -1/2 of an inch), proceed to slice the fennel very thinly. I don't have a mandonline yet (wish I did), so I used a knife but a mandonline would make this process much easier. Slice your shallot the same way you sliced the fennel and throw both in a bowl. Toss the shallot and fennel with lemon juice, lemon zest, half the mint leaves salt and pepper.
Remove the peel and pith from the blood oranges. Gently slice the blood orange from its membrane. (Click here to see how to do this). Place half the slice blood orange into the bowl with fennel and squeeze the juice from the membrane into the bowl. Toss and plate.
Garnish your final plate with the remaining mint leaves, blood orange slices, and hazelnuts.
1/3 cup of hazelnuts (optional)
1 large fennel, leaves and stems removed
1 medium shallot
1 lemon (used for juice and zest)
1 tsp lemon zest
15-20 mint leaves (leave at least 6 leaves on the side for garnish)
3 medium blood oranges
If you decide to use hazelnuts, or any nuts, then place them on a dry pan and toast them over medium-heat. Be sure to shake the pan constantly to avoid burning -- about 3 minutes. Remove the hazelnuts from heat and allow to cool. Roll the nuts in a dishcloth, when cooled, to remove any loose skin (they are super bitter -- yuck!). I would then take a mallet and hit the nuts in the dishcloth until they are in coarse pieces. The loud bang of the mallet usually scares my dogs away, so feel free to use a different technique if you are worried about the noise.
Slice off the bottom of the fennel (about 1/4 -1/2 of an inch), proceed to slice the fennel very thinly. I don't have a mandonline yet (wish I did), so I used a knife but a mandonline would make this process much easier. Slice your shallot the same way you sliced the fennel and throw both in a bowl. Toss the shallot and fennel with lemon juice, lemon zest, half the mint leaves salt and pepper.
Remove the peel and pith from the blood oranges. Gently slice the blood orange from its membrane. (Click here to see how to do this). Place half the slice blood orange into the bowl with fennel and squeeze the juice from the membrane into the bowl. Toss and plate.
Garnish your final plate with the remaining mint leaves, blood orange slices, and hazelnuts.
