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fennel orange salad in a yellow bowl with direct light.
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Fennel Orange Salad

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Servings: 6 as a side
Calories: 174kcal
Author: Nisha Vora

Ingredients

  • 3 medium navel or Cara Cara oranges
  • 1 medium lemon, zested
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced, grated, or crushed with a press
  • 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds (see Shortcuts in Notes)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 3 tablespoons (42g) extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 generous teaspoon pure maple syrup
  • 1 generous teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
  • 2 large (or 3 medium) fennel bulbs, ideally with fronds attached (see Note 1)
  • 1 small handful fresh mint leaves
  • ⅓ cup (40g) shelled roasted pistachios (or almonds), roughly chopped (or more as desired)

Instructions

  • Zest one of the oranges over a small-medium bowl.
    Remove the peel from all three oranges, then segment the oranges or chop into small pieces Sprinkle the oranges with a pinch of salt and pepper; set aside.
  • Prep the Spiced Vinaigrette: To the orange zest, add the lemon zest, garlic, and Aleppo pepper; set aside.
  • Lightly crush the coriander seeds by either blitzing once or twice in a spice grinder; using a mortar and pestle; or crushing with the back of a sturdy mug. Add to a small bowl with the cumin seeds and fennel seeds.
  • Make the Spiced Vinaigrette: Heat the olive oil in your smallest saucepan over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the crushed coriander, cumin, and fennel. Allow to sizzle and swirl the pan frequently to prevent burning. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until spices are a few shades darker and very aromatic.
    Pour the infused oil over the garlic mixture and allow to sizzle. Stir, then let sit for 1 minute.
  • To the infused oil, add 2 tablespoons (30 mL) lemon juice, the maple syrup, and Dijon mustard. Whisk well to emulsify. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Prep the fennel: Pick off the wispy fronds and set aside for the garnish. Cut off the stalks from the fennel and discard
    With the bulbs, shave the first layer off with a vegetable peeler. Slice each bulb in half lengthwise. Using a mandoline or a sharp knife, slice the bulbs crosswise thinly very thinly, discarding the tough core.
  • Assemble: Add the fennel to a large salad bowl and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper and toss with your hands. Add the orange slices to the fennel. Pour on the Spiced Vinaigrette and toss gently to coat (see Note 2).
    Use your hands to tear the mint and fennel fronds into the salad (or roughly chop them and add). Add the pistachios and toss gently.
    Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, as needed. For richness, drizzle with a bit of extra virgin olive oil before serving. Serve immediately.

Notes

Notes
  1. After trimming the stalks, you should be left with ~ 1 ½ pounds (680g) of fennel bulbs.
  2. This salad is best served fresh. If you want to keep leftovers, dress only the amount of salad you plan to eat.
Shortcuts
  1. Use easy to peel oranges, like sumo citrus, mandarins, or tangerines.
  2. Instead of toasting the whole spices, simply add ½ teaspoon ground cumin and ½ teaspoon coriander to the other dressing ingredients, including the olive oil, and whisk to combine. Taste, adding more of either spice as desired.