I’ve written about my passion for fennel and orange salad in the past. It’s a combination that I can’t get enough of this time of year. While I love the big, fat crisp fennel bulbs , what I really get excited about are the oranges. An orange a day is much more exciting than a boring old apple, right?
I admit, though,  that when it comes to oranges, I betray my local and beloved farmer’s market. What I’m after this time of year are the huge sweet/tart tarocchi globes that come from Sicily. Wrapped in their own special tissue, each one feels like a gift. And like a gift, you never know what you’ll get until you open it up. Even though tarocchi, or blood oranges, are known for their ruby red color, each is different. The hue and saturation is effected by temperature and weather, and so some are deep magenta,others are more pinky, and some are just a bright orange flecked with jewel like spots of ruby.
I eat some version of this salad almost every day this time of year . Sometimes with beets, and sometimes with lemons and I’ve even thrown in pomegranates when I have them. But mostly, I’m a sucker for the oranges. I’ve already written the recipe up previously, here. But I love this dish so intensely that I thought it deserved a starring role in its own video.
Your videos always put a smile on my face. 🙂
I had to see the video to believe it. The still photos don’t make it look as tasty and the video, Many thanks.
I’m going to make fennel and orange salad tonight but I will have to do it Chicago style as sadly I don’t think I will find those amazing blood oranges from Sicily here. Can’t wait! Love your videos! Thank you Elizabeth.
Such a nice video with the inclusion of Pico. My dog loves oranges as well, She makes a beeline for my side when she smells them. Will be doing this soon. I also like oranges with endive.
I don’t mind going video, but it’s a terrible loss not to also include a printed version of the recipe. I’ve given up trying to copy them. I suspect entertainment and marketing is winning out over cooking.
I always link to a recipe! If you read the blog post and follow the links it leads to a past post where I wrote the recipe. But I have to say, that this is barely a recipe, but here it is if you’d like to print it out: Cut fennel, oranges and black olives. Toss with lemon juice, salt and pepper. That’s it!
this looks just delicious … thank you
A variation, great this time of year.
— Peel, slice, and plate a blood orange per person.
–Cover with lots of thinly sliced garlic, the freshest and newest you can find; here in SoCal we have lovely fat garlic sprouts (like leeks) in the farmers’ market that are perfect.
–Drizzle over the newest best olive oil.
–Eat.
I like it best without salt or pepper, but that’s just me.
Love your videos! Love the view of Pico in the video!
I love the idea of pairing the oranges with garlic. Using red onions is a Sicilian version. And I agree: Pico must appear in more videos. I’ll have to talk to his agent.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I love citrus and fennel together, but I would not have thought of the olives! Looks delicious.
Can you tell me, is that platter made by Vetri? It’s beautiful.
Keep the videos coming. Pico was an added treat.
Grazie.
Yes, the platter is an old one, from Solimene in Vietri. So old it actually has a dangerous crack running through it. I don’t dare use it for anything but salads these days, and even then I get nervous.
Ciao Elizabeth. Happy Thanksgiving to all. We had opted not to have salad today but reading your blog and seeing the video it is seems so fresh after appetizers and soup so I am going to make this one after all ! (Had originally planned on your fennel & pomegranate which was delicious and beautiful as well- I made it with a bit of sweet onions & the salad was not Only a visual hit but wonderfully delicious as well – had a taste test run & my guinea pig friends loved it ) but today the blood oranges and the lighter dressing seem to be the right touch — I will also use sweet or red onion as I have family members who love olive oil but do not like olives – go figure !!).
As always thank you for your marvelous inspiration ! Helen
Which Market did you shop in to buy all the delicious ingredients?
It was so long ago I don’t remember! But these days I shop at the Farmer’s market near Circo Massimo or else the market on Via Baccina.