Refreshing Sicilian Style Fennel and Orange Salad with Hazelnuts, a beautiful contrast of bright citrusy flavors and crisp textures to brighten up a drab winter day!
Fennel is one of those vegetables which I have tended to stay away from. That is until recently.
It is quite common for Italians to serve sliced raw fennel at the end of a meal as it helps digestion and can prevent bloating. While I don't doubt the digestive benefits that fennel may have, I simply never liked it that way.
Since fennel is quite abundant and affordable this time of year, I decided to give it a second chance. I'm happy to say that I have been won over!
One of the easiest and tastiest ways to cook with fennel is to roast it. Not only did I roast it but I topped it with breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese for a crispy finish. This is now one of my favorite go-to side dishes. Here is the recipe for Roasted Fennel with Parmesan and Breadcrumbs. And by the way, this works well with cauliflower as well.
Fennel is also delicious in risotto, check out my recipe for Fennel and Leek Risotto here!
But now on to this fennel orange salad. This recipe is my take on a traditional Sicilian salad with a little twist. That is the addition of toasted hazelnuts which add a lovely satisfying crunch to this salad.
Step by Step Instructions
Begin by toasting hazelnuts on a sheet pan in a 350F preheated oven for 15 minutes. After they have cooled, you'll be able to easily remove the skin with your fingers. Set aside
Prepare the fennel by slicing off the stems, reserving the fronds to use as a garnish for the salad. Cut the fennel bulb in half and remove the core as shown.
Slice each half as thin as possible using a knife or, if you have one, a mandoline. Place in a large bowl or serving platter.
Cut an orange into supremes. Here's a great guide on how to cut an orange into supremes if you've never done this before. Add the orange slices to the bowl with the fennel.
Prepare the vinaigrette. Once you've finished cutting your orange segments, squeeze the remaining juice from the core into a bowl. Stir in olive oil, honey, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Whisk well.
Add the vinaigrette to the fennel and oranges and toss to combine. Adjust the seasoning, if needed. Top with the toasted hazelnuts which have been roughly chopped. Garnish with reserved fennel fronds and serve.
Tips and suggestions:
- This Sicilian fennel salad is also delicious topped with thinly sliced red onions or parmesan shavings.
- You can also replace the oranges with blood oranges.
- This salad can be served immediately or refrigerated before serving. The flavors have a chance to mingle if refrigerated before serving.
If you enjoy salads that combine vegetables with fruit, here's another favorite: kale salad with apples, walnuts and cranberries.
Don't forget to tag me with #mangiabedda or @mangiabedda on Facebook or Instagram with your salad if you make it. Feel free to Pint the recipe for later. Buon appetito!
Ingredients
For the salad:
- ⅓ cup hazelnuts or nuts of your choice
- 1 fennel bulb
- 2 oranges
For the vinaigrette:
- 2 tbsp. orange juice
- 1 tbsp. honey
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Begin by toasting the hazelnuts on a sheet pan in a 350F preheated oven for 15 minutes. After they have cooled, you'll be able to easily remove the skin with your fingers. Set aside
- Cut the stems off the fennel, reserving the fronds for garnishing the salad. Cut the fennel in half, remove the core. Use a knife or mandoline tothinly slice the fennel halves. Place into a bowl or serving platter.
- Using a sharp pairing knife cut the orange into supremes and add to the bowl.
- For the vinaigrette: squeeze the orange juice from the core of the orange into a small bowl. Stir in honey, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine.
- Pour the vinaigrette over the fennel and oranges and toss to combine.
- To serve, garnish with the reserved fennel fronds and toasted hazelnuts. Serve cold.
Notes
- Fennel and orange salad is also delicious topped with thinly sliced red onions or parmesan shavings.
- You can also replace the oranges with blood oranges.
- This salad can be served immediately or refrigerated before serving. The flavors have a chance to mingle if refrigerated before serving.
Rosa rizk
Sound good thank you for dharing
mangiabedda@gmail.com
Thank you Rosa for your feedback, always appreciated!