Fennel and Citrus Salad

Fennel and Citrus Salad – a light, refreshing salad with a homemade citrus dressing, three citrus varieties, and crunchy fennel, tossed with peppery arugula.  

Part two of the Mother’s Day brunch feast – Fennel and Citrus Salad.  It’s going to balance out your savory Ricotta, Asparagus, Pesto Quiche and go wonderfully with those mimosas.

I know that fennel and citrus salads may not be an incredibly unique combination, and that there are a lot of combinations out there – but per my own mom’s request, it’s what she wants on her Mother’s Day brunch menu, so that means I gotta make sure it’s there.

With all the effort put into making a homemade pie crust for the quiche, this salad is a fabulous pairing because it is SO EASY to make.  The homemade dressing is going to come together in a snap – and looks beautiful, by the way.

As you segment the various citrus fruits – blood oranges, navel oranges, and minneola tangelos – the juice is going to drip down and begin the base of your incredibly easy homemade dressing.

Side note: ever segmented an orange before?  It’s pretty easy to get the hang of and results in easy to eat orange segments (which is obviously perfect for salads – yay!).

First, cut off top and bottom of your orange, and then continue trimming off the outside skin. Then, as you hold the orange on its side in your hand, take your knife just inside the edges of a slice, next to the membrane, cut (carefully, very carefully) along the side of that segment into the middle.  Be sure to stop in the middle and not cut through the membrane.  Do this on each side of the segment, and on your second side, flip your knife upwards once you reach the middle to “scoop” out the segment.

As you cut out each segment, the juices with drip down, which is what we’ll use for the dressing as mentioned previously.  So place the orange slices in a separate bowl from the juices to make the rest of the process easier.  Once you’ve got each segment of the orange cut out, you’ll be left with all the membrane-y insides.  Squeeze those “insides” to get the rest of the juice out.  Discard the remains. Go ahead and admire all of that glorious fresh juice that you have.

To finish the dressing, all you’ll need to do next is add a little honey, lemon juice, salt, and olive oil.  Whisk it up, and you’ve got yourself the easiest salad dressing ever.

Need I mention the combination of all this bright, refreshing citrus flavor with the fennel and arugula?

Ok, if I must, the fennel has that crunch to add another dimension to the salad and that mild licorice taste.  I must say, I don’t necessarily care for licorice, but the flavor in the fennel totally works when paired with the citrus.  It’s got that subtle sweet/savory balance to it.  All of this on top of the arugula works with the mild peppery flavor it brings.  Little bit sweet, little bit savory, a whole-lotta yum for your mama (and you).

I can’t end my final Mother’s Day brunch “menu” post without shouting out my own mama.

Mom – thank you for being my biggest supporter in life, for raising me with a passion for delicious food, copious amounts of garlic, and fabulous red wine.  Thank you for always being my number one fan in everything I do, and for always reminding me what’s important in life.  I love you more than words (and all the quiche/salad/mimosas) in the world can say!!!

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If you make this Fennel and Citrus Salad, be sure to take a pic and hashtag it #FORKINTHEKITCHEN, or leave a comment below. I’d love to see what you make!

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