Fennel and orange salad

FENNEL AND ORANGE SALAD

Considering the few sources on Saint Narcissus, we cannot know what his favourite dishes were. However, we do know what was eaten in the city of David in the 2nd century A.D. Among the various dishes, this salad was a favourite of a large segment of the population.

Ingredients (serves 4):

840g fennel bulbs
2 oranges
50g pine nuts
50g sultanas
Salt to taste
50g extra virgin olive oil
3g apple vinegar
8g pumpkin seeds
A few green fennel leaves for garnish

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To prepare the fennel and orange salad, start by squeezing the juice of one orange and soaking the sultanas in the juice for at least 10 minutes. In the meantime, peel the other orange, discarding the two ends. Take care to remove the bitter pith.

Cut the orange into slices, and put to one side.

Wash and dry the fennel bulbs; keeping a few green leaves for garnish. Slice the hearts into thin strips. Place in a bowl with acidified water to preserve its colour until use.

Now pour the pine nuts into a non-stick frying pan and toast them for a few minutes: set them aside to cool.

In the meantime, the sultanas will have plumped up: drain and set aside, and in the meantime pour the orange juice into a deep container, adding the vinegar.

Add the oil and salt to taste and blend all the ingredients with an immersion blender.

You should obtain a smooth emulsion. At this point you have all the ingredients ready for your salad: drain the fennel slices and put them in a large bowl, adding the sultanas.

Add the oranges, dressing them with the emulsion you have obtained, and the pine nuts.

Give a crunchy note by adding the pumpkin seeds and mix all the ingredients together well. Garnish with a few green fennel leaves.

Your fennel and orange salad is now ready to be served.

(Liana Marabini)