We had a lovely salad last week at a lovely restaurant - a tiny Italian place just off Venice Beach. We started with a classic Italian dish: orange and fennel salad. We loved it so much we came home straight home and made it ourselves. We did leave out one of the highlights, however - the giant lump of fresh, salty crabmeat the restaurant included in their version. It's so expensive - we decided to leave out for a plain weeknight meal, but do note that a chunk of really good crab complements this salad perfectly.
The dressing pretty much makes itself; the juices of the fennel and orange run together with a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper for a salad that makes you want to lick your plate clean.
Fennel, Orange and Shallot Salad
1 fennel bulb
1 large seedless orange
2 large shallots
Olive oil
Sea salt
Fresh cracked black pepper.
Wash all sand and dirt off the fennel and trim the top. Set the tops aside - cutting a few sprigs for garnish. Shave the bulb as thinly as possible. Cut the orange into wedges, then carefully cut away the skin and pith, then slice the orange flesh away from the membranes. Slice the shallots very thin.
Toss the fennel, orange bites, and shallots with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper. Use the best, most buttery olive oil you've got. The taste really comes through, and the right oil can make the fennel shine. Also, don't skimp on the black pepper.
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That's my favorite restaurant in L.A. The food is masterful, the wine collection sublime, and the service is friendly, professional, and helpful. Yum.
And you can go for a nice walk on the beach afterwards.
The best place to go for a special dinner for two or four.
Being an Italian, I wouldn't say this is a classic Italian dish (never heard of this combination before!) but it sure looks delicious! I'll try it!
Sicilian here. This *is* a classic dish in Sicily and I wouldn't be surprised to find it in Southern Italy, too.
you guys inspired me, I just had this for dinner, and WOW. delicious. I am another (northern) Italian who was unfamiliar with this "cosidetto classico" until i read it here. good work!
I made this last night, and I think it would have been great if I'd gotten the proportions correct. My fennel was large and my orange was small, and I think it would benefit from a little more orange. That doesn't mean I'm not enjoying the leftovers, though.
Fennel Salad is common but i agreen with my fellow "italians" here, it is not really a classic. I love it simple with only fennel (of course) cut really thin and some good ol' parmigiano olive oil salt and pepper. You can also try it with a green apple and some emmental.
im so craving polenta with this stupid cold weather!
PS; if like il piccolino you shoudl try "la Botte" same owner, same delicious food..
I made a version of this salad tonight with clementines and red onion and it was delicious!