Fennel Salad with Oranges and Lemon

photo: Eric Diesel

Each season has its pleasures, but even we dedicated winter babies are ready for winter's end. Mother Earth evidences in Her own time the unmistakable signs of early spring. A sunny day, a budding crocus, a bustling robin all reflect our own quickening pulses as the seasons shift. Early spring has arrived in a very practical manner at the greengrocer's, where in season fruits and vegetables are pushed to the front of the displays. Frilled sheaves of chard and kale argue for inclusion in a soup pot along with seasonal root vegetables like carrots, parsnips and turnips. The last of autumn's apples and pears will find their way to a pie crust, perhaps alongside a snowy dollop of ice cream.

Mother Nature has been sending citrus into season since the winter solstice. Along with walnuts and chocolate kisses, oranges are the star attraction in a Christmas stocking. Many New Year's hostesses received a thank-you gift of a crate of clementines, and many resolution dieters received a squirt in the eye from the half-grapefruit they were attempting to eat for breakfast. Now as we turn towards the spring equinox, citrus is at its zenith -- sunny lemons, zesty limes, bright oranges all reflect the gathering sunlight itself.

It is appropriate that fennel comes into season during this transitional time, for fennel resides between two worlds: sweet and savory, pungent but subtle, crunchy when raw but velvety soft when cooked. This bulb, sometimes mislabled "anise" in the supermarket, is important in Italian, French and Scandinavian cooking. Its texture is akin to celery, though stringless, with a clean, snappy flavor shot through with a sweet topnote of licorice.

Here is a recipe for an easy side dish to utilize these two seasonal ingredients. This salad marries crunchy fennel with sweet oranges and a bright lemon dressing. Various versions of this salad incorporate olives, fresh mint, or grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, which you can add if you wish, but I prefer this version as it highlights the inherent qualities of the seasonal ingredients. Serve your salad with a pork roast for Sunday supper or a homemade pizza for a weeknight dinner. Or make a batch as an appetizer for this year's Academy Awards party. Whether you're the host or a guest, you will find that this salad is a star.

SHAVED FENNEL SALAD WITH ORANGES AND LEMON

This recipe uses a mandoline to shave the fennel. Your mandoline should come with a safety guard and detailed instructions; use both. If you don't have a mandoline, you can order a good one here, along with a cut-resistant glove. I use a citrus knife to prepare the oranges; you can order one here, or use a good paring knife with a thin blade. This salad serves four.

2 - 3 medium bulbs fennel, approximately 2-1/4 pounds total
3 medium navel oranges
1 medium lemon
Salt (Greek sea salt works well)
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil

1. Place a clean cutting board dedicated to fruits and vegetables on the counter. Place a large work bowl beside the cutting board.

2. Working one at a time, lay a fennel bulb on the board. Use a strong, sharp knife to remove and discard the calloused bottom from the fennel bulb. Carefully use the tip of the knife to cut at an angle into the core of the fennel bulb, which will be evident from the cut across the bottom of the bulb. Carefully maneuver the knife, still at an angle, around the core, which will pop out in a pyramid shape. Discard the core.

3. Use the knife to remove the stems and feathery fronds. They should emit their fragrance from the cut; choose a few of the most aromatic stems and set these aside along with some of the prettiest fronds. Place the remainder of the fronds and stems into a plastic bag and freeze for another use.

4. Put on a cut-proof glove and position the mandoline over the large bowl. Following the manufacturer's directions to position a fennel bulb (you may have to halve it from stem to base) across the surface of the mandoline. Position the mandoline's safety into place, and with your gloved hand use the safety to slide the fennel back and forth across the mandoline surface, so that the shaved slices of fennel fall into the bowl.

5. Once you have safely shaved all of the fennel bulbs, gently pass the reserved stems through the mandoline, letting the shaved stems fall into the bowl. Remove the glove and set the mandoline safely aside for cleaning.

6. Roll the lemon under the heel of your palm to express the juice. Cut the lemon in half and use a lemon press to juice each lemon half over the fennel, letting the juice flow through a sieve to catch any pith or seeds.

7. Drizzle the fennel mixture with a five-count of extra virgin olive oil, the salt, and several grindings fresh black pepper. Use your hands to combine all of the ingredients.

8. Working one at a time, place an orange on the cutting board. Slice away the top and bottom of the orange. Use your hands or the knife to peel away the orange rind and the white pith beneath the rind.

9. Use a citrus knife or sharp paring knife to cut each orange in half from top to bottom. Use the knife to cut away and discard the white pith down the center of the orange. Use the tip of the knife or your fingers to remove seeds if any; discard seeds or save for planting.

10. Lay each halved orange flat-side down on the cutting board. Halve each half from cut end to cut end to form quarters; halve each wedge to form eighths. Cut across the eighths to form triangular pieces.

11. Once you have prepped all the oranges, sweep them into the salad. Use your hands to combine all of the ingredients.

12. Cover the salad with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve, no longer than 2 hours.

13. While the salad is refrigerating, flip the cutting board over and use the knife to mince the reserved fennel fronds. Set aside until ready to serve.

14. When ready to serve, transfer the salad to a serving dish. Garnish with chopped fennel fronds.