Orange & Fennel Salad

Orange and fennel salad is the Sicilian cold-weather starter that proves two ingredients can carry an entire dish. Thinly sliced raw fennel gets layered with peeled orange flesh, dressed with nothing more than olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and cracked pepper. A sprinkle of dried cranberries at the end adds pops of tart sweetness.

The contrast is the whole point. Fennel brings a crisp, almost anise-like crunch; oranges dissolve into bright, juicy sweetness; and the vinegar pulls both together into something that eats light and clean. This is the salad that belongs next to roast pork, a winter soup, or a plate of cured meats and cheeses.

Kitchen Tips

• Slice the fennel as thin as possible. A mandoline or a very sharp knife turns it into near-translucent crescents that mingle instead of crunch awkwardly.
• Peel the oranges with a sharp knife, removing all white pith. Pith is bitter and kills the clean sweetness the salad depends on.
• Slice oranges over the salad bowl so all the juice drips down and becomes part of the dressing.
• Save the fennel fronds. Chopped and scattered on top, they add another layer of anise aroma and make the salad look garden-picked.

Variations

• Swap dried cranberries for briny kalamata olives for the traditional Sicilian insalata.
• Use blood oranges when in season for dramatic ruby color and a deeper flavor.
• Scatter toasted sliced almonds or shaved pecorino on top for crunch and salt.