Latest Food Craving: Arugula Fennel & Orange Salad.
I had my first taste of this salad last Saturday at my friend Danielle’s Champagne Tasting party. I kept a steady eye on the big glass salad bowl throughout the party. Between sips of bubbly, I monitored how much was left in the bowl. After my third helping, I dropped my napkin (on purpose) near the bowl and scooped up yet ANOTHER helping onto my plate. Did anybody notice that this was my fourth helping? It’s salad! Who cares? When I came back from the party, Casey asked me about the different champagnes I tasted and all I could tell him was how blown away I was with this salad. It distracted me; I just KNEW I had to recreate it. Like…I couldn’t sleep until I made plans to recreate it the next day.
When we had friends over for lunch on Sunday, I started with this salad as a feature and created a whole Antipasti Party around it. The surprisingly thing is that I’ve never much cared for shaved fennel, but now I adore it— especially when it’s combined with peppery arugula and juicy orange segments! The salad is light, crunchy, juicy, peppery and tangy. I love everything about it.
And we’re off!
Gather your ingredients!
Get to orange segmenting!
Slice the fennel thinly with a knife or mandolin and make your dressing.
Pour the dressing over the salad! TOSS TOSS TOSS.
Ahhhh look at that pretty salad!
Pair a little bit of the salad with some fontinella cheese & top on a crostini!
It’s SOOOOO good.
Arugula Fennel & Orange Salad
(recipe by me!)
Serves 2 as a main dish & 4 as a side
- 4 cups arugula
- 2 oranges, segmented
- 1 medium bulb fennel, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed orange juice
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar (more or less depending on your taste)
- salt & pepper
Place arugula, orange segments and sliced fennel in a large salad bowl. In a smaller bowl, mix olive oil with orange juice, white wine vinegar brown sugar & a dash of salt & pepper. Pour dressing over the salad and toss well. Top with fresh ground pepper & serve.
Shutterbean Notes:
-use one of the oranges leftover from segmenting & squeeze the juice from it for your dressing.
-try champagne vinegar in the dressing!
-goat cheese would be a good addition to the salad if you are looking to turn it into an entree.
