Fennel-orange salad with cracked pepper and mint

2
Points®
Total Time
5 min
Prep
5 min
Cook
0 min
Serves
4
Difficulty
Easy
Fennel and orange are a beloved combination in cuisines across the Mediterranean, and one favorite way to serve the two ingredients together is in a simple, but super flavorful chopped salad. Our version of the salad adds olives and mint to the mix, and softens the sharp citrus and anise flavors with a dash of sweet balsamic vinegar. Walnut oil deepens and mellows the salad's flavors further, and is a great oil to keep on hand in your pantry for finishing salads, especially those with blue cheese or feta toppings. A vegetable slicer, also known as a V-slicer, makes quick and easy work of producing paper-thin slices of fennel.

Ingredients

Uncooked fennel bulb

1½ medium

Orange

1 large, peeled and sectioned

Olives

6 olive(s), large, brine-cured black variety, pitted and chopped

Peppermint leaves

½ cup(s), fresh, coarsely chopped

Orange juice

2 Tbsp, or bottled

Balsamic vinegar

2 tsp

Walnut oil

2 tsp

Olive oil

1 tsp

Black pepper

½ tsp, cracked

Instructions

  1. Cut the fennel lengthwise in half and thinly slice. Reserve the feathery fonds.
  2. Toss together the fennel, orange, olives, and mint in a large bowl.
  3. To make the dressing, whisk together the remaining ingredients in a small bowl until blended. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Divide the salad evenly among 4 plates. Chop enough of the reserved fennel fronds to equal 1/4 cup. Sprinkle evenly over the salads. Yields 1 cup per serving.