Citrus Fennel Salad (Orange & Shaved Fennel with Arugula)

Name: Citrus Fennel Salad (Orange & Shaved Fennel with Arugula)
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: fennel bulb 180 g; orange 2 ea; arugula 60 g; olive oil 2 tbsp; white wine vinegar 1 tbsp; sliced almonds 20 g

Quick answer

Total time: 15 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 6

About this dish

Shaved thin and soaked in cold water, fennel turns into crisp, anise-scented ribbons that catch the juice from orange segments.

Bitter-edged arugula and sliced almonds fill in between the sweet and the sour. The dressing is only olive oil and white wine vinegar, so each raw ingredient comes through clearly. The salad is tossed only at the last moment, because fennel left sitting in vinaigrette goes limp and crunch is the whole point of the dish. Citrus and fennel wake the palate rather than dulling it, which is why the salad comes before rich meat or fish courses.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmount

orange2 ea

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Instructions

6 steps

1

Trim any tough outer layer from the 180 g fennel bulb and cut away the firm core thinly.

Slice with the grain into 1-2 mm pieces so the texture stays crisp and the anise aroma remains clear.
2

Soak the sliced fennel in cold water for 5 minutes to sharpen its crunch.

Drain it well, then shake off and blot excess water so the dressing does not turn watery when the salad is mixed.
3

Cut the top and bottom from the 2 oranges, stand them upright, and remove the peel with the white pith.

Slide the knife between the membranes to release clean segments without crushing them.
4

Wash 60g arugula in cold water and drain it thoroughly.

Dry the leaves lightly so residual water does not dilute the dressing.
5

Put 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar in a small bowl.

Whisk until the oil breaks into fine droplets, giving a light dressing that coats the fennel without weighing it down.
6

Just before serving, toss the fennel, orange segments, and arugula lightly with the dressing.

Transfer to a plate right away, then scatter 20 g sliced almonds over the top for a crisp finish.