Fennel and Orange Salad (Insalata di Finocchi e Aranci)

We are still cooking Italian around the Kansan Prairie.  And loving the flavors, textures, smells and most of all the tastes.  This rather unusual salad features a new favorite of mine, Fennel bulbs.  They look a little like onions, but they have a very distinctive taste and smell.  Much like Onions, fennel bulbs can be can be sautéed, stewed, braised, grilled, or eaten raw.  But the tastes are different.  Fennel bulbs have a very distinctive odor of Anise... Black Licorice.  Fennel by itself may be a bit too strong for me, but it combines incredibly with other tastes... Like Citrus.

It also has a wonderful odor that adds to your meal.  If you have never used fennel in a recipe, give it a try sometime.  You may just find a new favorite!

And nothing better than this simple yet FLAVORFUL salad.  Only a few ingredients, no cooking, unique tastes and smells, fresh and inviting.

Keep scrolling down for this easy to follow recipe...

 Here's what I did...

Fennel and Orange Salad
(Insalata di Finocchi e Aranci)

Ingredients

• 1 Small Fennel Bulb, stems discarded, Bulbs thinly sliced
• 3 Medium Seedless Oranges, sliced, peeled, none of the white outer membrane showing
• 2 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 TBS Champagne Vinegar
• 1 TBS chopped fresh Parsley
• To tase, Salt and Pepper
• 2-4 crisp Romaine lettuce leaves (or for a very colorful salad, try red Radicchio lettuce for edible presentation

Cooking Directions

1. This requires 1 hour of marinating, the recipe serves 2 but can easily be doubled
2. Combine everything except the garnish/presentation lettuce in a bowl, gently stir to coat, you do not want to break up the fragile orange slices.
3. Store covered in the refrigerator for one hour.
4. place 1-2 lettuce leaves on 2 plates, Romaine or Radicchio looks best, on a plate. Arrange the orange slices and sliced fennel on top.
5. Serve chilled and ENJOY!

I served this as a soup and salad (a Citrus flavored tomato soup that I will be posting about soon).  Made a wonderful lunch, could have served as a light supper.  The orange/licorice smells and tastes stayed with me for awhile.  LOVED this combination and will be making again!

This is a MUST MAKE recipe for my new Page that eventually will be a guide to Italian Cooking (worth following). I will try to research the history, Italian name for the dish and most of all the authenticity (going to be hard not to monkey about with the recipes, but I at least promise to try).

*************************************************************************

So,  I am pleased to list this as one of my Growing list of  "52 Authentic Italian Recipes"!!!

Well over 52 recipes actually as I just can't stop. The world's most popular cuisine, authentic, natural, organic, Farm to Table... the Italians started, perfected or embraced it before it became a fad. This page is a guide to Italian Cooking... For the home cook!  So, Cin Cin (toast) and Buon Appetito (Enjoy your Meal) to you all and let's Cook authentic Italian!

****************************PINTEREST**************************

Come and find me on Pinterest... Any of my "52 Ways to cook" Boards are worth following.  If you like this post, please take a second and "Pin" this to your own boards... Better yet, if you are part of a foodie group board please take a second and add this post to your group pins... best way to show your Love!

And BTW, if you are not yet part of a group board, drop me an email at Contact@eRecipeCards.com and request to be added to my group board... FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS! (be sure to include your pinterest ID when you write)  Once you are added, any pins you add will be seen by 10s of THOUSANDS of followers of the board (and growing daily).

Rules, only 2... 

1. In order to join you need to start following the group board as well as at least one of my boards.
2. And you must ONLY pin original sources, posts from food related bloggers only.  If you are a blogger, this is a great way to have thousands of potential readers see your work,  If you are a fan of bloggers, a great way to share your favorites...
   Come and be a part of ... FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS! on Pinterest