blood orange, beet, and fennel salad

Happy Leap Day!  I had a different post prepared for today (a satisfying and substantial dinner), but I am going to save that for tomorrow and give you something a little bit unusual instead.  In honor of Leap Day William, it would be cool if each of you ate something today that you wouldn't ordinarily eat any other day of the year.  Take a leap of faith.  Try something new.  Live on the edge.  If you're at a loss for ideas, you can try this salad.  I know it is a bit weird, but trust me, it's completely awesome.

 

Some people buy candy as a once-in-a-while treat from the grocery store checkout line.  I buy cooking magazines.  (Unless they have peanut butter M&Ms, in which case I buy both.)  When I saw this recipe in January's Bon Appetit, I knew I had to make it.  I have had a raging obsession with fennel since visiting Italy last summer, but as it is almost as unwieldy and intimidating as butternut squash, I've never made anything with it myself.  Luckily, I soon learned fennel is pretty easy to prepare if you just read a little bit about it first.  The entire plant is edible - from its white, bulbous base, to its green, celery-like stalks, and its feathery, dill-like leaves.  It's also super versatile.  It is delicious raw - either shaved thin in salads, or alone with a drizzle of good olive oil and sea salt.  When prepared by braising, sautéeing, roasting, or grilling, the bulb softens and the flavor mellows.  Oh yeah, that's the best part about fennel.  When raw, it tastes like black licorice.  When cooked, it becomes a little sweeter and less powerful, but the notes of anise still shine through.  Yum. 

But enough about fennel.  This recipe also includes my other favorite things - beets and winter citrus.  In fact, the stars of this salad are actually the blood orange and the beet, with the fennel taking a supporting role.  Blood oranges are small, but powerful, and replete with fiber and antioxidants.  The tart flavor pairs amazingly with the inherent sweetness showcased in roasted beets.  (If you have missed my love affair with beets, you can read more about it here.  I know I wax poetic about a lot of vegetables, but I am particularly fond of beets.)

I followed this recipe almost exactly, but I've changed the wording in the recipe because some of the original verbage is confusing and misleading.  I also used parsley instead of cilantro, and I threw some fennel fronds in for good measure, too.  Enjoy!

Blood orange, beet, and fennel salad
Serves 2
adapted from bon appetit

4 medium red beets, tops trimmed 
2 blood oranges 
1 medium navel orange 
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
6 slices of fennel, sliced very thin on a mandoline
6 slices of red onion, sliced very thin on a mandoline
High-quality extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Coarse sea salt
1 teaspoon chopped parsley and fennel fronds, for garnish

1.  Preheat oven to 400°. Scrub beets, wrap individually in foil, and place on a rimmed baking sheet.  Roast until beets are tender when pierced with a knife, about 1 hour. Let cool.
2.  Meanwhile, using a sharp knife, cut all peel and white pith from all oranges; discard. Working over a medium bowl, segment one of the blood oranges by slicing between each membrane and allowing them to fall into the bowl.  Squeeze excess juice from membrane into bowl and discard the membranes.  Slice remaining blood orange and navel orange, either crosswise into thin rounds or segmented.  Place in the same bowl and allow to stand for a few minutes in the citrus juices.
3.  Peel cooled beets. Slice beets into thin rounds, wedges, or both.  Layer beets and oranges (without juices) on plates, dividing evenly. Arrange fennel and onion over beets. Spoon reserved citrus juices over, then drizzle salad generously with oil. Season to taste with coarse sea salt and pepper. Let salad stand for 5 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Garnish salad with parsley and fennel leaves. Pin It Now!