This is a WONDERFUL side dish for Thanksgiving or any holiday meal. It’s fresh, light and a huge crowd pleaser. This is a simple, gourmet salad that’s easy to throw together, and perfect to make ahead!
Fennel is great for digestion and the citrus gives you a boost of vitamin C. An added benefit to help ward off sickness this time of year. 🙂
Any extra fennel you have can be used to make homemade stock or you can roast it and throw it in a puréed soup!
Citrus Fennel Salad on Mixed Baby Greens
Citrus & Fennel Salad With Toasted Almonds
Yields: 8 ½ cups
Serves: 8 as a small side salad
Ingredients:
- 2 ruby red grapefruits
- 2 blood oranges
- ½ fennel bulb thinly sliced
- Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- (1 medium or 2 small limes)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ small shallot
- pinch of salt
Topping
- ¼ cup roasted almonds
Directions:
Carefully peel and segment the fruits using a paring knife. Slice the fennel bulb where it meets the branching part of the stems. Thinly slice the bulb and cut a wedge out of the heart of the bulb, which is fibrous and difficult to eat.
Finely mince the shallot. Combine all vinaigrette ingredients in small bowl and whisk well. Alternatively, put ingredients in shaker or mason jar. Fit tightly with lid and shake well. Label with name of dressing and date if there is extra and refrigerate.
Arrange fruits and fennel slices/shavings on serving plate(s).
You can toast the almonds if you’d like. If doing this step, heat a small skillet over medium heat. No oil is needed. Add whole almonds to the hot pan and toast for about 8 minutes. Stir occasionally. Once they smell fragrant and become golden brown, they’re ready. Remove almonds from the pan.
Coarsely chop the almonds (toasted or raw) and rough chop a few fennel fronds. Top the salad with almonds, fennel fronds and vinaigrette. Toss well to combine and enjoy!
The Empowered Kitchen Tips:
You can put this on a bed of fresh greens to make it even heartier. If you want to meal prep this, you can make the recipe as above and even add the dressing. It will last up to 3 days in the refrigerator. If putting on fresh greens, add the greens right before serving, so they stay crisp and fresh.
French 
English