Fennel Salad with Oranges and a Fresh Mint Dressing

This Fennel and Orange salad is a taste of Italy!  Celebrating the flavors of citrus fruits abundant in Sicily, this salad begins with pickled fennel that is delicate, crisp and full of flavor. The fennel is paired with sweet, juicy, blood oranges, tossed with some oil-cured black olives for a briny contrast. Tossing together in a fresh mint dressing makes this a winner for anytime of the year. 

What's in this Fennel Salad?

In Sicily, citrus fruits are abundant. Tarocco or blood oranges, are native to Italy and the most prized variety because of its sweet juiciness. And, it is easy to peel making it ideal to add to salads.

Ingredients change from home to home for the classic Sicilian winter salad. The simplest version is made of orange wedges seasoned with salt and olive oil. This recipe is more elaborate, including pickled fennel, olives and a fresh mint vinaigrette with a splash of vanilla.

Sallie, my neighbor who is married to a Sicilian, introduced me to a classic Sicilian Orange, Fennel and Olive salad. After a taste test, Sallie deemed this fennel salad with blood oranges a keeper!

Here's what's in this Fennel Salad:

• Pickled Fennel or 1 fennel bulb, sliced thinly - Dining at Fika in Minneapolis,   I tasted my first pickled fennel with blood oranges in a salad - I was hooked.  This recipe takes what I love about the classic Sicilian winter salad,  using  pickled fennel - check out the recipe -  and tosses it with my OT42 fresh mint vinaigrette found in the recipe card below.

• Blood Oranges
• Oil-cured black olives or a Mix of Greek Olives
• Fresh Mint Dressing made with pear-infused vinegar, honey, lemon juice, mint, vanilla and olive oil.  Find the measurements in the recipe card and helpful tips for making mint vinaigrette below in the Tips & Tricks section.

How to make fresh mint dressing

The fresh mint dressing is what carries this fennel, orange and olive salad.  The flavor is mint, bright and tangy from the pear vinegar and balanced with a touch of vanilla and honey.

Making mint dressing is easy, but it can be a challenge to get the perfect emulsion: that's when the oil and vinegar combine into a creamy texture instead of separating.

Over the years, I've found a few tips for making a perfect emulsion:

• Use a medium-sized bowl to allow for enough movement of the whisk. Trust me on this one, I've done it in small bowls or jars and it's almost impossible to get the oil and vinegar to meld and not separate.
• Whisk the ingredients by hand or use a hand blender. Start with the vinegar, mint, honey and vanilla.
• Add the olive oil slowly and gradually: I typically add it tablespoon by tablespoon and whisk in between until the oil fully incorporates.  If using a hand blender you can add slowly a steady stream of oil.
• Add Salt and Pepper.  Taste and adjust seasoning.  If you like it sweeter add more honey, if you want more of a vanilla hit, add about ¼ teaspoon at a time.

How to Segment an Orange (Perfect for a Salad)

I have always wondered how restaurants remove the pith and segment of an orange making it look so appetizing. The pith of an orange is the stringy, spongy white stuff between the peel (or zest) and the fruit. 

I find it difficult to remove.  During a cooking lesson with @GavinKeyson, Owner and Executive Chef of Spoon and Stable, we were taught how to segment an orange.

Check out my You Tube Video on how to cut oranges and remove the pith (or really for any citrus)!  Click Here:  How to segment an orange video.

Share Your OT42 Moment

Join The Fun! If you make this Fennel Salad with Oranges and Fresh Mint Vinaigrette, take a picture and share with the OT42 Community. Click on this Link:  Share your OT42 Moment and upload your picture! 

Every month, I will share pictures of what you all in the OT42 community are making and eating.

Lastly, if you make this , be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of this page and give this recipe a rating in the recipe card!