Summery Winter Salad

Insalata di Finocchio, Arancia & Melograno con Olive & Sale alla Lavanda
Fennel and Orange Salad, with Pomegranate and Olives and Lavender Salt

 

It's sometimes strange the way that we perceive certain foods in relation to the seasons, depending on where we live. Oranges for example are a Winter fruit for us in Europe, with the best coming at around Christmas time. Fennel and pomegranate are other favorites in Sicily in the Winter months- and yet a salad made using them together seems to just scream Summer! And I for one find that pretty cool!

The only work involved in making this, is the filleting of the orange and the slicing of the fennel- and I am sure you can manage that! Its the combination of those 3 ingredients, along with olives, olive oil and a coarse sea salt that make this into a winner.

Cut out the individual segments and squeeze the juice of that soggy leftover orange- we can use that to flavor the fennel with. Slice the fennel as thinly as possible and arrange it on a bed of your preferred salad greens and a little basil. Sprinkle with salt, sugar, drizzle with orange juice and add the pomegranate seeds and olive slices. 

Dress with a tangy Extra Virgin olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper- in my case, I opted to use some of my lavender infused salt. You can make something similar, by grinding 2/3 salt to 1/3 sugar and adding some dried lavender and telicherry pepper corns with a mortar and pestle. Add some of that fine and delicate Fennel green and you are ready to enjoy!

There is something wonderful about oranges in combination with olives or olive oil! And I hope you give it a go and enjoy it too!