As I laid on the beach Saturday, I occasionally glanced up to watch Chris surf waves I didn’t have the guts to attempt while simultaneously flipping through 3 borrowed issues of Food and Wine magazine. February, March and April. No shame.
If they were my magazines, I would have dog eared just about every single page in all three magazines, put on my stretchy jeggings and made every featured recipe. However, this Citrus Fennel Salad was the one I snapped a picture of with my phone and immediately sent to Chrissy.
We had to go with this recipe because the ingredient challenge this week is well, fennel. You can serve this salad all on it’s own or with shrimp, seared ahi, or pork tenderloin. It would also be delightful served over arugula or spinach. We also considered the addition of avocado chunks. It’s clearly versatile, so dress it up to your liking!
We could have just used fennel seeds as a seasoning but despite the arm and a leg we Chrissy paid for it, we went with crispy, crunchy fresh fennel and made it the star of the dish! If you aren’t familiar with fennel, it has a mild licorice or anise flavor to it. I am not a huge fan of licorice but fennel is groovy and after making this Citrus Fennel Salad, I’m officially in love.
Chrissy and I have decided we should most definitely sacrifice a few extra bucks and make this salad once a week. We kept it simple tonight and served it over a bed of spinach with a sprinkle of mint. Now were sitting here wishing we would have added some protein because we’re still hungry. Let the grazing commence!
Little Yellow Note: Eating a raw veggie salad for dinner means you can afford to eat a lot more dessert, or perhaps even 4th meal.
We actually made 1/4 of this recipe and it was perfect for 2. So, for those of you who like myself, don’t do the math thing: the following recipe serves about 6.
In other news, we have brand spankin’ new ICM (more affectionately known as Ingredient Challenge Monday) challenger this week, Tiffany from Como Water! Check out hers and all the other fabulous ICM girls fennel recipes here:
Citrus Fennel Salad
adapted from Food & Wine Magazine
Ingredients
1 large grapefruit, sectioned
1/3 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons mint, chopped
2 fennel bulbs, thinly sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
Directions
Cut the frons off of the fennel and cut the bulb in half. Cut in on an angle to remove the core on each half. Thinly slice (on a mandoline if available) the fennel and red onion and place into a large salad bowl. Add the grapefruit sections.
Whisk together the orange juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil and honey. Pour over the salad. Serve with a sprinkling of mint garnish.
From the Little Yellow Kitchen,
Lauren
14 March, 2011 at 9:32 am
Something about this just feels so fresh and light. It would probably be an awesome dish to bring on a picnic (I’m dreaming of warmer weather right now)
14 March, 2011 at 9:34 am
Love this combination. I am not a fan of grapefruit, but would substitute with blood orange when in season or just a navel orange. A simple salad bursting with health! Love it!
14 March, 2011 at 12:40 pm
I despised grapefruit and especially grapefruit juice, until I had ruby red grapefruits. They are so much sweeter, the bitterness/awful after taste is non existent! The typical grapefruit still makes me cringe a little so if you cant find ruby reds definitely put a blood orange in it and it would be fantastic! Great idea
14 March, 2011 at 12:42 pm
Totally a picnic dish, good call!! Your potluck or bbq comrades would love this. And trust me, the weather here in SD is such a tease. It’s sunny one day and raining the next! I’m waitin for perma-sunshine as well!
14 March, 2011 at 1:23 pm
WOW this looks amazing girly! I have never tried fennel before but I really want to after seeing these amazing pics!
Love your blog – just saw it!
14 March, 2011 at 2:32 pm
Yah! I am so glad someone decided to go with raw fennel! Your salad is beautiful and I feel like I can smell it off the screen! Such bright flavors!
14 March, 2011 at 4:02 pm
Thanks! Definitely give it a shot. It’s really healthy and super versatile. Beware of onion breath after this salad though!
14 March, 2011 at 5:46 pm
beautiful pics of a fresh spring dish! loveee it
14 March, 2011 at 6:53 pm
We’re a little early but it sounded so good!
14 March, 2011 at 7:11 pm
Yum! I love the idea of this. Bookmarked!
14 March, 2011 at 7:18 pm
That salad is getting me ready for spring!!!!
14 March, 2011 at 10:04 pm
im ashamed of myself but i don’t think ive ever eaten fennel…unless unknowingly. i must change this soon!
15 March, 2011 at 8:13 am
That’s the goal!! We are in the home stretch
15 March, 2011 at 8:18 am
Yes! You must try it. You can also have in the form of a seasoning (fennel seeds).
15 March, 2011 at 1:15 pm
Fennel + citrus = one happy girl
Great recipe!