Apple, Fennel, and Orange Salad

By Leite's Culinaria

Ingredients

1 large navel orange (zest reserved for citrus vinaigrette)
1 small (8 oz) fennel bulb (cored, halved, and thinly sliced)
1 unpeeled large tart apple (such Granny Smith, cut into matchsticks)
1/2 small (3 oz) red onion (thinly sliced)
3 cups (3 oz) baby arugula (washed and dried)
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest (preferably organic)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Prep Time25mins
Servings4

Instructions

Make the apple, fennel, and orange salad

Using a microplane, zest 1 teaspoon of the orange for the vinaigrette. Set aside.

With a paring knife, cut off the very top and bottom of the orange. TESTER TIP: Think of it as if you were removing the North and South Poles.

Place the orange on the work surface so that it's sitting securely on its flat South Pole. Starting at the top, follow the curve and cut away the peel and white pith in wide strips. Now, cradle the peeled orange in your hand and, working over a bowl, slice between the membranes of the orange sections to release them, let the sections and juice fall into the bowl. Set the bowl aside.

In a serving bowl, toss together the fennel, apple, red onion, and arugula with the orange sections.

Make the citrus vinaigrette

In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, lemon juice, olive oil, reserved orange zest, and 1 tablespoon of orange juice that collected in the other bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Add about 2/3 of the dressing to the salad and toss gently. Taste and add more dressing, if desired.

Season with a little freshly ground black pepper and serve.