This winter salad is bright, fresh, and crisp. The perfect salad to pair with hearty meat dishes or hot soup. Prep work is key here, you need well-groomed orange segments and paper-thin slices of fresh fennel. Find orange flower water at better supermarkets like New Seasons or Whole Foods.
- 1 large orange or 2 small ones
- 1/2 large fennel bulb
- 1 t. orange flower water
- 1/8 C. olive oil
- 2 T. white wine vinegar
- 2 T. fresh orange juice
- 1 t. sugar
- 1/2 t. coarse salt
- fennel fronds for garnish
- fresh cracked black pepper
Prepare the oranges by cutting off all the peel and pith with a sharp knife. Then cut in between the membranes to remove only the fruit of each segment- this is called a “supreme” (soo-PREM) in fancy schmancy French cooking. Here is a video on how to slice the oranges- once you practice a couple of times it gets much easier and you will love the luxuriousness of the oranges without any white pith. Put the orange segments into a bowl and set aside. Remove the core at the base of the fennel bulb and use a mandolin slicer to slice the fennel bulb into very thin slices. I used the second thinnest setting on my slicer. Arrange the fennel on a platter and chill. Combine the orange blossom water, oil, vinegar, sugar, orange juice, and salt in a small bowl and whisk to blend well. Pour the dressing over the oranges and toss gently. Arrange the oranges over the top of the fennel. Scatter the top with the fennel fronds and finish with fresh cracked pepper. This salad can be made a few hours ahead, and if chilled will retain its crisp freshness.
