A bright and wintry shaved fennel salad with sliced blood oranges and avocado, and tossed with a creamy saffron-lemon dressing. Jump to recipe.
I needed thyme on New Year’s Eve and walked out to the garden to see if my plant was hanging on. It had lost its vibrant color, but there was still lots of fresh, fragrant thyme to be had. It was a cold morning and the frost had settled into the tiny leaves to form glistening rosettes.
Inspired by the beauty of the frost-covered thyme, I headed to the river early the next morning to see what winter had brought to that place. I found the brush around a water spout covered with icicles and crystalline forms in the mud, but otherwise, the frost was just a pale layer over the ochres and umbers of a Virginia winter. Still, the trip was a chance to explore and get muddy. I’d like to tell you that I’d been reflective there beside the river too, but I’m still to caught up in processing the end of the year. And as the deep winter cold sets in, I know I’ll have lots of time to reflect over the next few months.
I like the quiet of January. I also like the freedom of cooking what I want. In summer, the variety of produce so dizzying that it can be tough to make time for projects. Once things have mellowed, fall and the holidays dictate the kinds of food we’re making. But January is wide open, and I find the forgiving foods of winter ideally suited for long projects or experimentation.
Since beginning my Salad Days column on Food52, I’ve made a lot of salad dressing. Over there, I usually waver between a simple vinaigrette and something rich in dairy, so for this salad, I was ready to stray from my usuals. I broke away with a creamy saffron lemon dressing made with an egg yolk. Saffron threads, ground chili powder, and lemon meld beautifully for a faintly spicy dressing assertive enough for the fennel and creamy enough to sit with the watery citrus slices.
The salad also makes use of all the winter citrus just landing on grocery store shelves. I’ve chosen to highlight blood oranges, which will always be my favorite for their deep, nearly bitter flavor. I threw in a satsuma and tangerine for good measure. Shaved fennel is salted and dressed ahead of time, with layers of chili powder, black pepper, and orange zest. Before serving, everything is tossed together with bits of avocado tucked throughout.
The dish was a wonderful lunch, but it could also be a gorgeous side for a winter gathering or brunch party.
A bright and wintry shaved fennel salad with sliced blood oranges and avocado, and tossed with a creamy saffron-lemon dressing.
- 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil , divided
- 2 tablespoons minced shallot
- 1/4 teaspoon ground chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- pinch saffron threads
- egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest plus 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- sea salt to taste
- 1 fennel bulb , cored and trimmed with green fronds reserved
- 2 blood oranges
- 2 satsumas clementines, or tangerines, or a mix
- 2 avocados
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To make the dressing, heat a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, followed by the shallot, chili powder, red chili flakes, and black pepper. When oil is warm and shimmery, turn off the heat and add saffron threads. Swirl and let oil sit 10 - 20 minutes.
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Meanwhile, place egg yolk, lemon juice, zest, and rice wine vinegar in the pitcher of a blender or a large bowl. Pulse or whisk to combine. With blender on high or whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in a tablespoon of the remaining half cup olive oil and process until mixture thickens, then slowly stream in all of the remaining oil. Spoon dressing into a small jar and refrigerate 20 minutes.
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Shave fennel bulb into thin 1/16-inch thick slices, reserving 2 tablespoons chopped green fronds. Set shaved fennel in a mixing bowl and toss with 2 - 3 tablespoons dressing, sea salt, black pepper, and 1 teaspoon orange zest. Set aside.
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Cut top and bottoms off of citrus; slice peel off cutting in a downward motion. Cut citrus crosswise into 1/2-inch thick round slices.
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Halve and peel each avocado; cut into eighths.
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In a large serving bowl, arrange shaved fennel and citrus slices. Drizzle with more dressing. Tuck avocado wedges throughout, and finish with a pinch each sea salt and pepper, and then scatter reserved fennel fronds.
Such a beautiful plate of food! The colours just jump off the plate and invite me to dive straight in. Happy new year to you guys!
That’s thrilling to hear. Thanks Kathryn!
So many vibrant colors and flavors! A salad like this is exactly what I need in the dead of winter. 🙂
You and me both, Eileen. Thanks for dropping by!
I find it interesting how different everyone’s thoughts on January are! I personally struggle with January, with the anticlimax after the holidays and the dearth of produce, but the idea of it being an open field for experimentation is something I can get behind.
So well said, Myriam. I hear you on the anticlimax and totally have twinges of that feeling too.
Lovely and colorful salad!! Happy New Year 🙂
Happy New year to you, Kiran!
This is full of so many fun ingredients! Loving all this colour 🙂
Thanks Katrina –– definitely a contrast with these gray winter days here on the East Coast.
What a glorious and vibrant salad! Oh and the dressing sound so dreamy! Love it. Wishing you a very happy 2015!
So glad you think so, Sini! I had a lot of fun putting the dressing together –– go to have something rich in this weather.
This is gorgeous Elizabeth. I am totally with you, blood oranges, nearly bitter + perfect in every way. Happiest of New Year’s to you my friend. xo sherrie
Aww, thanks Sherrie. Glad to have you on team blood orange with me! Best wishes for 2015 as you settle in to your new environment.
Wow- I love the woods and rivers in the winter. It’s so calming.
This salad looks delicious- blood oranges are one of my favorites but I can never seem to find good ones in the stores!
Hi Kelsey, Yes! I’ve grown to really love the silence of the winter forest. You’re right –– it’s incredibly calming. I sourced this citrus from a few places, but I did pick up a bag of small Moro blood oranges at Trader Joe’s recently. They’re nice and small, and seem to hold up better than the large kind.
The colors and flavors in this salad are intoxicating! I cannot wait to give it a try. Pinned!
Yay! Thanks so much Meg. And a very happy New Year to you!
Fresh, crunchy and delicious – everything a salad should be. Looks amazing!
I too love January… the quiet after the storm of the holiday season. A time to reflect a bit more and get back into a new groove.
I’m in love with every ingredient in this salad. Such simplicity, but certainly not lacking flavor.
Your salads are so killer, Elizabeth! This one looks so cheerful, just what we all need for gray January days. Saffron in dressing is brilliant.
Yes! Elizabeth, I love everything about your salad. Fennel, citrus and avo are a dreamy combo and your dressing sounds awesome. I’m so stuck in a rut with my dressings… yours sounds creamy and full of good zing.
I hope you and your cute family are doing well.
xoxoxo
E
Just made this this morning for Father’s Day. I always like the unique dishes and combinations from this blog. This salad was really great with the pairings of orange, avocado and fennel. Not used using fennel much myself, I found that it was an interesting ingredient and that after sitting in the dressing for a little bit had great flavor and crunch. Thanks for the recipe!