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Blood Orange Fennel Salad with Pistachios

Blood Orange Fennel Salad is a bright-tasting side dish blending the distinct flavors of blood oranges, arugula, and fennel with a cumin dressing. Not only does it make a stunning presentation, but it tastes as good as it looks.

January 4, 2021

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Blood orange fennel salad
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5 from 2 reviews

Addicted to Blood Orange Fennel Salad

This recipe is from a Sur La Table Cooking Class. I attended an Italian Pasta Workshop with a professional chef at my local store. We made homemade pasta – egg ravioli with sage brown butter sauce, pappardelle with bolognese, and this salad. The classes are a great way to learn and enjoy an instructional cooking experience. The food was terrific, and I placed the salad recipe into our family meal rotation. I can find a reason to eat it every week. I served it Christmas Eve, dinner, and again for New Year’s Eve. I am making it the third week in a row to take pictures for the blog. Yes, I am addicted to this recipe but lucky for me, there has not been an intervention.

Blood Oranges Slices

Blood Oranges

Although the name is not very appetizing, blood oranges have a dark red interior and less acidic taste but are slightly more bitter than the traditional orange. If you have never tried blood oranges, please place them on your grocery list! Quick while they are in season – December – April. Thriving in warm climates, they are primarily grown in California, Texas, Italy, and Spain. They get their unique color from anthocyanin, which is the reason for many nutritional benefits. The post on Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage explains some of these health features. Additionally, blood oranges contain Vitamin A and C, potassium, iron, calcium, and fiber. According to Very Well Fit, oranges can also help prevent the build-up of bad cholesterol and lower the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and cataracts.

Serve With

Three parts of fennel denoted - bulb, stalks and fronds

Use Fennel Bulb for Recipe

Fennel, another plant from Italy, is a carrot family member, but it looks like an onion with celery stalks growing out of it and topped with dill. It tastes nothing like any of those plants. Fennel contains a bulb, stalks, and fronds. They are all edible, but I have never used the stalks other than leaving them on the bulb as a handle when I slice them on the box grater. Fennel bulb is fantastic sliced raw in a salad because of its crunchy texture, and the mild licorice flavor is a pleasant addition. The trick is to slice it very thin to keep the unique flavor more subtle. I recommend a box grater or a mandoline.

Recipe Steps

Toast cumin seeds in a skillet this recipe

1

Toast cumin seeds in a dry (no oil) skillet over medium heat.

crush cumin seeds with rolling pin

2

Place cumin seeds between a folded sheet of parchment or wax paper.

crush cumin seeds between wax paper

3

Crush seeds with a rolling pin until fine.

Fennel bulb, stalks and fronds

4

Use fennel bulb only for this recipe.

Fennel bulb with stalks removed

5

Remove the bottom and cut off the top of the stalks. Leave some stalks as a handle when slicing.

Fennel bulb sliced and cored on a cutting board

6

Slice in half lenthwise and remove core.

Fennel bulb sliced thinly with a box grater
7

Slice fennel bulb thinly with slicing side of box grater or mandoline.

Peel and slice blood oranges with a paring knife on a cutting board
8

Peel and slice blood oranges. Cut slices in half to form "fans".

Orange Fennel Salad in a white bowl
9

Assemble salad and toss with dressing.

Equipment Needed

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Blood Orange Fennel Salad
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Blood Orange Fennel Salad with Pistachios

Orange Fennel Salad in a white bowl
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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

Blood Orange Fennel Salad is a bright-tasting side dish blending the distinct favors of blood oranges, arugula, and fennel with a cumin dressing. Not only does it make a stunning presentation, but it tastes as good as it looks.

  • Author: Karen
  • Prep Time: 20
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: salad
  • Method: No Cook
  • Cuisine: Italian
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Units Scale

Vinaigrette

  • 3 Tablespoons white balsamic or red wine vinegar* see note for Paleo
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds, toasted and crushed or ground**
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Salad

  • 4 blood oranges or 2 large navel oranges***
  • 3 cups arugula
  • 1 medium fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced on the mandoline****
  • 1/4 cup roasted pistachios
  • 1/4 cup mint leaves, roughly chopped

Instructions

  1. Toast Cumin Seeds: Heat a small dry frying pan (no oil) over medium heat for a minute or two. Add Cumin seeds and toast until fragrant and slightly browner in color—about 3 minutes. Place immediately on a plate so the seeds do not continue to cook. Grind in a spice grinder, mortar & pestle, or place between a piece of wax paper and use a rolling pin to crush the seeds. See the illustration post.
  2. Toast Mix Dressing Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, ground cumin seeds, mustard, and honey. While whisking, gradually stream in oil. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside.
  3. Prepare Salad Ingredients: Remove a thin slice from the bottom of the fennel bulb and remove the fronds and stalks. Leave a few inches of the stem – this serves as a handle to save your knuckles when slicing the bulb on the box grater. Slice the bulb in half lengthwise and cut away the tiny rigid core. Run the bulb down the box grater side with a single slice or use a mandoline to obtain thin slices. Note: there are four sides to the box grater. Use the side with a single blade for the best results. Use a protective glove as your knuckles get closer to the end of the bulb or slice any small remaining pieces with your knife. Place fennel pieces in a large salad bowl. Using a paring knife, cut the peel and pith from the oranges—slice oranges crosswise into ¼-inch thick fan-like slices.
  4. Combine Salad: Toss oranges, arugula, and fennel in a large bowl. Pour enough salad dressing to coat thoroughly. Sprinkle with pistachios and mint.

Notes

*For a Paleo diet, check ingredients for added sugar; red wine vinegar is usually compliant.

** See illustrations in the post for toasting and grinding cumin seeds.

*** Navel oranges or grapefruit are great substituted for blood oranges.

**** Be sure to slice the fennel very thinly and not use any of the stalks. See the image in the recipe post.

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4 responses to “Blood Orange Fennel Salad with Pistachios”

  1. The flavors in this salad worked well together. Definitely a keeper. The dressing with the cumin is amazing! Thanks for sharing the recipe.

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Karen the Supper Sanity Home Chef

Welcome to

Supper Sanity

Hello, I’m Karen, a very passionate meal planner! As a mother of three, I have been planning family menus for years. When I was diagnosed with a digestive condition, I found it necessary to follow an eating regimen that eliminated many ingredients. Meal planning became a health necessity. I’ve learned a lot and want to share my resources to simplify meal planning, shop efficiently, and cook affordable homemade meals. If you wish to try new recipes, plan healthier meals, and enjoy a great dinner with your friends and family, Supper Sanity can help.

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