Early in the day last Wednesday, Groundhog Day 2011, the chatter on the morning radio shows was all about the groundhog not seeing its shadow. I could believe that. I had not seen my shadow in days! With the mounds of snow all around me, I was skeptical about the imminence of spring. Besides, even if indeed it were only six weeks till spring, we still had to get through February. So, cold and sunlight-deprived, I was determined to bring some sunlight into my kitchen there and then. And so it was, fennel-orange salad for dinner. Laying on top of different shades of green and white, the orange sections are like many bursting suns. A celebration to the senses, this salad not only combines a medley of textures, but it is also flavorful and aromatic. And, as a bonus, it is also good for you!
Orange and fennel combined provide a megadose of vitamin C, which all of us can use during the cold season. Like all things opposite, the sweet crunchy fennel is balanced well by the acidic sweetness of the soft orange. When I tear one of its stalks and immediately inhale the liquorish aroma, the fennel is like a time tunnel through which I am thrown right back to childhood. With its bulb, stalks, and fronds, fennel is so versatile. You can cook it, grill, bake, braise, or eat it raw. By the time you add up all the other ingredients—spring onion, olive oil, lemon juice, pine nuts, hearts of romaine lettuce—you have a plateful of preventive medicine. Enjoy!
Ingredient for 4-6 portions:
1 1/2 orange, sections
orange peel, if organic
1/2 bulb of fennel, thinly sliced
a handful of tender fennel fronds
2-3 spring onions, sliced
1/2 lemon
2 tbsp. toasted pine nuts, or to taste
olive oil
salt
cayenne pepper or hot red pepper flakes, optional
1. Spread pine nuts on a cookie sheet and roast in a 350 d. F. oven till golden, about 4-5 minutes. A sign of almost readiness is when I smell the nuts. Take out to cool.
2. Wash and dry all vegetables.
3. Slice the heart of Romaine lettuce crosswise into strips. Place lettuce on a large serving plattergt or at the bottom of a salad bowl.
4. Slice fennel as thinly as you can and lay over lettuce.
5. Cut orange in half crosswise. With a small knife, cut around the inner rind to seperate the pith from the fruit segments. Cut in between the segments to separate them from the pith. Scoop out the segments and spread over the top of the salad.
Tip: I do this cutting above the salad platter or bowl, so the juice trickles down onto the salad. I make sure to squeeze what’s left of the half orange to extract all the juice out of it. Don’t like to let all this goodness go to waste.
6. Cut white and green parts of onion into thin slices and sprinkle over salad.
7. tear a handful of fronds and spread over salad.
8. Sprinkle the roasted pine nuts on top.
9. Squeeze lemon all over salad, sprinkle oil all over top, and sprinkle salt all over top of salad. Sprinkle cayenne pepper or hot red pepper flakes, if you like to add some zest.
Tip: I like to dress salad in this way rather than make a dressing especially for these reasons: all ingredients are fresh and there is no danger of smothering the salad with too much oil.
Tip: I like the added flavor of a touch of cayenne pepper or hot red pepper flakes. It adds that bit of surprise to the palette. My kids prefer it when I don’t use it.
Tip: I like to microplane the orange peel and/or lemon peel, but only if they are organic. I add this to the salad. I also dry peel and keep it in my spice rack for later use in cooking, baking, etc. It adds vitamin C and fiber, not to mention flavor, to a dish.
Tip: Don’t use fennel fronds only for decorating. They are delicious in salads and, also, a tasty addition to soups.
Dressing Variation: The salad will go very well with a balsamic prepration, especially, if you substitute balsamic syrup for the lemon. In a rush, use balsamic vinaigrette. Judiciously, that is.
Enjoy the sun!
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