INTERPRETED BY JEREMY ABBEY OF SOIL2SERVICE
Traditionally, Italians serve their salad course following their main, in part to aid in digestion. Though it has many variations, oftentimes it consists of a simple green salad of lettuce or arugula with olive oil and vinegar, salt and pepper.
Insalata di finocchi originated in Sicily and Southern Italy and features fresh citrus and fennel. It can include pine nuts for added crunch.
Ingredients
- 1 fennel bulb
- 1 large navel orange
- ½ medium red onion
- 12 pitted black olives
- Drizzle of olive oil
- Sea salt and cracked pepper
- ½ lemon
Preparation
METHOD:
Shave the fennel into very thin slices. (A mandoline works great.) Store in ice water until ready to serve. Slice the red onion very thin. Store in the ice water with the fennel. This helps retain the color and remove some of the harsh flavor of the raw onion. Segment the orange and slice the black olives. When ready to serve, place the fennel on a plate and top with red onions. Artfully arrange the orange segments and black olives. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Using a Microplane, zest the lemon over the top immediately before serving.
