I’m doing some menu planning for my annual Christmas visit to my parents’ house, where I’ll be preparing three meals a day for a dozen or more people. Planning ahead saves multiple trips to the market and lets me spend more time on the things I enjoy—like obsessing over a 1,000-piece puzzle while everyone else enjoys the food.
Although I don’t usually plan salads for winter menus in New York, the warm weather where my parents are means fresh produce is available and this salad will be on the menu for one dinner. It’s my new favorite winter salad: different from the lighter summer versions, it leans on seasonal fennel and juicy citrus instead of tomatoes or cucumbers.
I’ve been teaching this salad in my classes lately and everyone loves it. It’s bright, refreshing, and very easy to prepare. It pairs especially well with fish, poultry, or pork. Fennel is also known as a gentle digestive aid, which is a welcome bonus during holiday meals. I grew up with a family tradition of serving raw fennel wedges and clementines after a heavy pasta and meat dinner—an elegant, palate-cleansing finish. I particularly enjoy raw fennel for its subtle licorice note.
The salad combines very thinly sliced fennel, segmented citrus (blood oranges or grapefruit work best), ripe avocado, and shaved ricotta salata, all finished with a citrus dressing. Feel free to adapt the salad to what you have on hand. Good additions or substitutions include:
- Radishes
- Frisée, butter lettuce, or watercress
- Pomegranate seeds
- Thinly sliced red onion or shallot
Ricotta salata is one of my preferred cheeses for this salad. It’s a pressed, salted sheep’s-milk ricotta with a firm but slightly creamy texture and a gentle saltiness. It can be hard to find; when I can’t get it I use shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano or a good feta as substitutes. For texture, shave the cheese with a knife or vegetable peeler rather than processing it.
If you like using a food processor, an adjustable slicing disc makes it easy to get paper-thin fennel ribbons. A mandoline or a very sharp knife will work just as well. For citrus, use a sharp knife to remove peel and pith and then segment the fruit for clean, juicy slices.
Presentation is simple: spread the fennel ribbons in a single layer on a large platter, toss lightly with dressing, and tuck the citrus segments and avocado slices among the fennel. Scatter the shaved ricotta salata over the top and finish with fennel fronds and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. It doesn’t need to be perfect—this salad always disappears quickly.
Fennel Salad with Citrus, Avocado and Ricotta Salata
Ingredients
- Dressing:
- 2 teaspoons minced shallot, about ½ a small shallot
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 3 Tablespoons unrefined, cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 large fennel bulbs, bottom trimmed, stalks discarded, fronds reserved
- 6 blood oranges or 2 large grapefruits
- 2 firm but ripe avocados, halved, pitted, and sliced crosswise
- 1/3 pound ricotta salata, shaved (if unavailable, feta or Parmesan are good alternatives). Do not slice with a food processor; use a knife or vegetable peeler.
- Maldon or flaky sea salt to taste
Instructions
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In a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the dressing ingredients, shake until emulsified, and set aside.
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Halve each fennel bulb and remove the core. Slice the fennel lengthwise as thinly as possible using a mandoline, an extra-thin blade on a food processor, a vegetable peeler, or a very sharp knife. Place the fennel in a large bowl.
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Using a sharp knife, remove the peel and pith from the blood oranges or grapefruit, then segment the fruit into slices.
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Arrange the fennel in a single layer on a large platter and toss with enough dressing to lightly moisten the ribbons.
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Tuck the citrus segments and avocado slices among the fennel and scatter the shaved ricotta salata over the top. Drizzle any remaining dressing as needed.
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Garnish with reserved fennel fronds if desired and finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. Serve immediately.
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