Fennel, orange, & olive salad with a warm fennel dressing

Indulge in the flavors of sweet orange, crisp fennel, and briny olives in this vibrant salad, drizzled with a warm fennel-infused dressing. Delicious and tangy!

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small fennel bulb (should yield approximately 1 cup)
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon fennel seed
• 3 fresh thyme sprigs
• 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and cut in half lengthwise
• 2 blood oranges, at room temperature, or other sweet and juicy variety or a combination

Instructions:

1. For preparing the fennel:
2. Start by removing the stem and any damaged leaves from the fennel bulb. Slice it in half through the root end and take out the core. Use a mandoline or slice the fennel thinly by hand.
3. Heat olive oil in a medium saute pan until it shimmers. Add the sliced fennel and cook until it becomes translucent, making sure not to brown it. Remove from the heat and set it aside.
4. Making the salad:
5. In a small saute pan, combine olive oil, fennel seeds, thyme sprigs, and olives. Warm the mixture over low heat for about 15 minutes to blend the flavors and soften the fennel seeds and olives. Remove from heat and discard the woody stems of the thyme sprigs.
6. Trim both ends of the oranges to make flat surfaces. Stand the oranges upright and slice off the peel starting from the top, following the curve of the orange. Remove any remaining white pith. Cut the oranges into 1/4-inch crosswise slices.
7. To assemble the salad, divide the cooked fennel between two plates. Arrange the orange slices on top. Drizzle the warm fennel dressing and olives over the oranges and serve.

Summary:

• Calories: 946 kcal
• Fat: 86 g
• Protein: 6 g
• Carbs: 49 g
• Potassium: 1284 mg
• Magnesium: 78 mg