FENNEL SALAD

This all-purpose salad is great with all kinds of fish dishes. Serves 4

2 oranges, peeled and segmented, juice reserved
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and sliced as thin as possible (use a mandoline or vegetable slicer)
1/2 red onion, sliced as thin as possible

Coarse salt
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 kalamata olives, pitted and minced

Toss the oranges, fennel, and onion together in a bowl with salt to taste, the lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and the juice left from segmenting the oranges. Cover and refrigerate until very cold.

When you’re ready to serve, toss the salad again. Toss the olives with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and scatter over the salad. 

VARIATION

While I love the combination of fennel and orange, sometimes I want the perfume of truffles. Slice a fennel bulb on a mandoline or vegetable slicer. Season with salt and white pepper and dress with 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons truffle oil, and the juice of half a lemon. Toss. Add 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan and toss again.

If you’d like, add thinly sliced hearts of palm or thinly sliced raw baby artichokes.