– Red or golden beets – Fennel bulbs – Extra virgin olive oil – Kosher salt or sea salt – Black pepper – Lemon – Raw walnuts – Panko bread crumbs – Aleppo pepper – Sea salt – Chickpeas – Flat-leaf Italian parsley – Fresh dill – Orange – Avocado,
Add the beets to a baking dish or Dutch oven. Very lightly rub the beets with olive oil and pour water into the pan to go ¼-inch (.6 cm) up the sides. Cover the pan with its lid or foil and roast at 425°F/218°C until fork tender (time dependent on size of beets; see recipe card for time ranges).
Slice the fennel stalks (reserve stalks for veggie broth or to simmer in soups) and set aside the wispy fronds for the salad. Cut each fennel bulb into half, vertically; then slice horizontally into rings, about 1/3 to 1/2-inch thick (0.8-1.3 cm).
Transfer fennel to a rimmed sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt/pepper. Roast until tender and browned on edges. Make the walnut bread crumbs. Add the olive oil and finely chopped walnuts to a frying pan. Cook for 90 seconds.
Add the panko bread crumbs and cook 2 minutes. Stir continuously to prevent burning. Add the Aleppo pepper and flaky salt and briefly cook. Transfer to a plate, spread out, and allow to cool.
Combine the roasted beets, fennel, and chickpeas in a large bowl. Add the walnut bread crumbs, lemon zest, lemon juice, and chopped parsley, dill, and fennel fronds. Season with sea salt and pepper.
Toss everything to combine. Add the avocado chunks and chopped oranges (I used cara cara oranges). Gently toss to combine. Transfer the beet and fennel salad to plates and pour some vinaigrette on each salad just before serving.