Orange and Fennel Salad

Orange and Fennel Salad

3 large juicy organic oranges
1 medium red onion, sliced very thin

1 bulb fresh fennel (reserve the greens)

A drizzle Champagne vinegar
A drizzle extra virgin olive oil

Cracked pepper to taste

2 tablespoons fennel greens, roughly chopped

Peel the oranges, and slice to thin round. Place the slices on a serving platter overlapping each other slightly. Cut the fennel into thin slices. Place on top of orange slices. Finely slice or dice the red onion and place on top of orange and fennel slices.

Drizzle the salad with olive oil and vinegar and season with cracked pepper.

Top with fennel greens.  Let it stand for about 20-30 minutes before serving. Serve at room temperature. Serve with crusty bread and enjoy the wonderful juice this salad will produce.

This recipe brings back sweet memories of my dear grandfather; it was his favorite fresh salad and mine to make. I can still swell the sweet fragrance of the oranges as we peeled them. 

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Sweet Onion and Fennel Frittata

Sweet Onion and Fennel Frittata

8 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese

4 tablespoons minced fresh fennel greens, divided

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Pinch red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 medium sweet onion, thinly sliced

1 small bulb fennel, thinly sliced

 

Fresh Fennel

In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, 3 tablespoons fennel greens, salt and pepper, red pepper flakes, and grated cheese. Stir to combine.

In 8-inch non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium heat; cook onion and fennel, stirring occasionally, until softened and barely golden, about 7-10 minutes. Gently add the egg mixture; cook over medium-low heat until bottom is set, about 10 minutes. Flip over carefully, and cook a few more minutes until the other side is set.  Remove from heat, cut into wedges, sprinkle 1 tablespoon fresh fennel greens on top, and serve warm.

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Tuscan Kale and Finocchiona Salami Crostini

Rustic Bread

Tuscan Kale and Finocchiona Salami Crostini

8 slices salt less rustic bread, about 1/4 - 1/3 inch thick

2 bunches Tuscan Kale (black Kale), washed

3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, more for drizzling

1 large shallot, minced

1 large clove garlic, minced

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

½ cup vegetable or chicken broth

8 paper thin slices of Finocchiona salami

Broil the 8 slices of bread on the lowest part of the oven.  It will broil quickly, so, do not step away from the oven. Broil only one side to golden.

Remove about 3 inches of stems from kale, reserve it for soup. Wash thoroughly; cut the kale in thin long slices (chiffonade).

In a large skillet, on medium-low heat, add the oil and sauté the kale with the minced shallot and garlic. Cook about 5-6 minutes; add the broth and cook until the kale is just tender. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.  

Place the toasted slices of bread on a platter, drizzle a thread of olive oil, add 1 slice of salami on top of each slice and a forkful of Kale. Drizzle with another thread of oil on top. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

The delicious bites can be served as appetizer for a Sunday dinner, Christmas, or any special occasion!

Finocchiona salami is a cured firm spiced pork meat made with fennel, peppercorns, garlic and 4 year old Chianti wine. Legend has it that Finocchiona owes its origins to a thief at a fair near the town of Prato, Italy, who stole fresh salami and hid it in a stand of wild fennel. When he returned for it, he found it had absorbed the aromas of its hiding place. 

Tuscan Kale (Cavolo nero di Toscana) is a vegetable in the cabbage famili, most specificcaly it is from the Tuscany region. Besides being delicious, it conains antioxidant properties and is rich in minerals and vitamins. It has long intense green color and the leaf surface is sort of bubbly.  It is a winter vegetable used in many Tuscan Recipes.  It is also a key ingredient in the famour "ribollita" soup. 

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Fennel Cheese and Lemon Fritters

Fennel Cheese and Lemon Fritters (Fritelles)

3 medium fennels, stalks removed

2 large eggs, beaten

Sea salt

Black pepper

2 cups grated Pecorino cheese

Zest of 2 lemons

2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Cook the fennel in hot boiling salted water.  Cook until just tender.  Strain well and allow to cool. From the core, cut in half first. From the core cut into 1/3 inch slices. Dry well with paper towel.

Place the beaten eggs in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. In another bowl add the Pecorino cheese and zest together.

Dip the fennel slices in the eggs first, then in the cheese and zest mixture.  Add the oil to a large skillet and cook on medium heat until golden on the bottom. Turn once and cook the other side to golden. Be sure the slices are about 1/2 apart for best results.

 

fennel

Fennel is delicious eaten raw because it is refreshing to the palate. It can be served to whet the appetite if eaten as an appetizer with vinaigrette or simply sprinkled with salt.  Boiled or steamed with butter, and covered with grated Parmigiano, it makes a great side dish.  This recipe is served as an appetizer or side.  I make extra, so I can have leftover snacks.

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Smashed Peas Fennel and Mint Crostini

Smashed Peas Fennel and Mint Crostini

                          
3 tablespoons lemon olive oil, divided                                           
1 small onion, finely minced                                                
1 small fennel bulb, finely minced (reserve greens)                       
2 cloves garlic, finely minced                                                
1/3 cup vegetable stock        

1 pound fresh or frozen peas, thawed                                            
3 tablespoons finely minced fresh mint

Roasted garlic sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

4 ounces crumbled goat cheese

10-12 lightly toasted French bread slices

 

Fresh Fennel and Mint

In a small saucepan heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and gently cook the onion and fennel until soft and barely golden. Add garlic and cook until golden. 

Add the vegetable stock and turn up the heat. When it comes to a boil, add in the peas and cook about 5 minutes. 

Remove from heat, add the mint and season with the salt and pepper. Use a stick blender or potato masher to make a chunky mash of the peas. When the slices of bread are toasted, add a heaping teaspoon of pea mixture. Top with crumbled cheese and fennel greens. Drizzle some oil on top and serve warm or at room temperature.

 

Sweet Peas

This recipe can be served as an appetizer or a side dish before smashing it.   However if you like to smash some of the peas, go right ahead.

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Orange Fennel and Carrot Salad

Orange Fennel and Carrot Salad

This fennel, orange, and carrot salad is very light and  refreshing. An ideal dish to bring to the table for a holiday, or for just a simple get together. It can be served as an appetizer, salad or a side dish.

2 juicy oranges, peeled, and sliced thinly

1 fennel bulb, sliced thinly

2 tablespoons chopped fennel greens

1 carrots, thinly sliced

1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Pinch sea salt

Pinch black pepper

Juice 1/2 orange

Alternate the fennel, orange and carrot slices on a plate.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle the fennel greens, salt and pepper. Lastly squeeze the juice of half an orange on top.  Chill for 20-30 minutes and serve. Serves 4.

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Chicken Apple Salad & Fruit and Cheese Plate

Fruit and Cheese Salad

 

Don’t have time to prepare a healthful meal?

When this happens to me, I surfed my frig and pantry to see what I can come up with. 

I decided to take the fruit and cheese from the frig and created a fruit and cheese platter.  I simply added a thread of olive oil on the mozzarella cheese and placed fruit around it on a plate. It took only a few minutes to assemble this recipe.

Chicken and Apple Salad

I purchase a rotisserie chicken every week and make many dishes without having to take the time to bake the chicken myself.  I decided to make Chicken salad, so I  cut up the rotisserie chicken into small cubes and I added toasted pecans, 1 apple with skin removed and cubed, shredded carrots and broccoli from a bag, a handful of golden raisins, and 2 spring onions. I took some mayo from the frig, added some freshly squeezed lemon juice and paprika and mixed it well with the chicken salad.  I placed the chicken salad over a bed of baby arugula, and frisée lettuce. I added some sliced cucumbers, baby yellow peppers, tomatoes, grain salad on each corner of the plate. For the salad dressing, I simply poured a few treads of unfiltered extra virgin olive oil and threads of pear flavored balsamic vinegar of the greens.  The chicken salad recipe took about 10 minutes to make from ingredients I already had in my frig and pantry.

Rotisserie Chicken Salad

I love it when I can come up with tasty dishes that do not require much time at all and are also healthful to eat. 

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