Fennel and blood orange medley salad

Cooking Time and Notes

This delightful salad can be whipped up in about 20 minutes, making it a splendid choice for a quick yet impressive meal. Ensure you have all your ingredients prepped beforehand for a seamless cooking experience!

Ingredient List

• 1/4 cup hazelnuts or walnuts

• 1 medium-large fennel bulb (trimmed)

• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

• Juice from 1 lemon

• 2 large blood oranges (or any orange variety)

• 1 small shallot (peeled and sliced thin)

• 10 fresh mint leaves

• 2 tablespoons high-quality extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 teaspoon lime zest

Preparation Steps

Begin by toasting the nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly until golden brown. Allow them to cool before removing any loose skins from hazelnuts. Coarsely chop and set aside.

Next, discard the bottom 1/2 inch of the fennel bulb and slice it very thinly using a mandoline or a sharp knife. Transfer these slices to a serving bowl, seasoning with salt, pepper, and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Peel the blood oranges, ensuring to remove all pith. Hold the peeled segments over the bowl of fennel and carefully cut the sections free from the membrane, allowing them to fall into the bowl. Squeeze the remaining membrane to extract any juice, drizzling it over the salad while discarding the leftover membrane afterwards.

Add the thinly sliced shallots, mint leaves, the toasted nuts, and pour in the olive oil. Toss everything together gently to combine. Finally, sprinkle the salad with lime zest for that refreshing touch.

Tip: For optimal freshness, it's best to enjoy the mint on the first day of preparation, but leftovers make for a delightful lunch the following day.