Christmas is over, and if you are anything like me, you’ve probably been stuffed with rich tasty meats, heaps of mashed potatoes and yams and more cookies than you care to admit. As such, I thought this week’s recipe would be a healthier option. Found the original on Chow.com and have doctored it up a bit with a couple Pao additions.
The salad’s main ingredients are crisp fennel pieces and roasted pistachios, but I think adding some fresh blood orange adds a bit of acidity that well-complements the anise flavor of fennel. This is a very simple and refreshing recipe. It takes about 10 minutes total to make and you can prepare up to a day before serving, just taste to see if you need to adjust the seasoning.
INGREDIENTS
- 3 medium heads fennel, very thinly sliced crosswise (about 7 cups)
- 1/2 cup roasted and salted pistachios, coarsely chopped
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1 blood orange, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspon grated blood orange zest
- 2 tablespoons blood orange juice
- Pinch of salt & pepper
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
INSTRUCTIONS
- Combine all ingredients except orange slices in a large nonreactive bowl and toss until fennel is coated. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Decorate with blood orange slices on top of fennel/citrus mix. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 1 day.
Enjoy and Happy New Year!
