This salad is a great way to highlight winter citrus fruit. It is especially beautiful made with a combination of navel and blood oranges.
Ingredients
1 large bulb Fennel
2 medium Oranges
15 Oil-Cured Black Olives
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt, Black Pepper
Instructions
Cut the stalks off of the fennel bulb and reserve. Trim the base of the bulb and run a vegetable peeler over the outside to remove any tough strings. Cut the fennel in quarters and remove the core. Shave the fennel as thinly as possible, using a mandoline or very sharp knife. You can shave the bottom inch or so of the stalks to add to the salad, as well. Arrange the shaved fennel in a single layer on a serving platter. Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Cut the peel and all of the white pith off of the oranges. Cut the orange, crosswise, in thin slices. Place the orange slices over the fennel.
Using the side of a chef's knife, smash each olive and remove the pit. I normally just tear each olive in half, otherwise give them a rough chop. Scatter the olives over the oranges.
Top the salad with a few of the feathery fennel greens. You can serve the salad immediatly or refrigerate for a few hours, prior to serving.
Recipe by strawberryplum at http://www.strawberryplum.com/fennel-orange-black-olive-salad/