Fennel, Orange, Avocado Salad: Colorful, Crisp, Citrusy!

Fennel, Orange, Avocado Salad

Fennel is such an interesting and unique veggie.  It looks like a cross between bok choy and celery with dill like fronds sticking out the top but it doesn't taste like either of them.  It is in the anise flavor family but mild and slightly sweet.  It is very crunchy and it holds up even with dressing on it.  For this recipe, it needs to be very thinly sliced. Begin by cutting off all the long stems and save them for decoration.  Cut the bulb in half through the core.  Remove the core with a sharp knife ( I use a "V" cut).  Then slice the bulb into thin slices and drop them in a large bowl of ice water.  Drain and pat dry.  Place the fennel slices in a pretty bowl.

Next, peel the oranges with a sharp knife to remove all the peel and pith (the white part under the skin). Cut each section between the membranes.  Squeeze out all of the juice remaining in the orange after the sections are cut out.  Put this in a separate bowl.  Peel and slice the avocado and add it to the fennel and orange.  Very thinly slice a small shallot.  Put one quarter into the orange juice and the rest goes on top of the other salad ingredients.  Add the dried cranberries, toasted hazelnuts, salt and pepper. Lightly dress the salad and sprinkle with feta cheese.

To make the dressing, add a generous splash of olive olive to the orange juice.  Add 1/4 tsp. garlic, freshly ground black pepper, and a pinch of sea salt.

Ingredients
1 large fennel bulb
2 navel oranges
2 avocados
1 small shallot
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup toasted and roughly chopped hazelnuts
1/4 lb. crumbled Feta cheese
Olive oil
Sea salt (I use Maldon flake sea salt to finish the salad)
Black pepper